Alone
by spooksfan08
Summary: Harry without Ruth doesn't work. With Ros back on the Grid, Harry and Ruth apart and the most dangerous undercover op yet can the team survive? Can Harry and Ruth be reunited? Will he survive?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer : As with all my other stories I do not own Spooks. All copyright is the property of BBC television and KUDOS productions. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred.**

**Dark**

Harry closed his eyes, as much to block out the cold grey walls as much as to steady himself. It had been a week since he had last seen Ruth or any of his family and it was beginning to get to him. He had been alone before but being parted from Ruth and the children, especially with the birth of his second grandchild imminent it felt wrong. He opened his eyes, determined to hold himself together. This was what it would take, not only to survive but to end the plans of one of the most feared branches of extremists in London then this is what he would do.

"Jimmy." He narrowed his eyes at the sound of his cellmate's voice.

"Yeah?"

"You got any ciggies?"

"Don't smoke." Harry answered. "Never have." That part was true at least. He laid flat on his bunk and tried to process what he had learned. It was going to be a long night.

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_Ten Days Earlier_

_"It's definitely coming out of that prison." Ruth sighed. "I've looked through all the reports, had a look at the chatter coming out of GCHQ and it all tracks back to that prison."_

_"It does have some of the most dangerous prisoners on mainland Britain." Alec nodded. "How can we break it though? Somehow one of their inmates is organising a major attack to rival anything we have seen from Irish Extremists or our AQ cells."_

_"This is just another terrorist group." Adam joined in. Tariq and Zaf exchanged glances, knowing none of the team would walk on eggshells around them. If the terrorists were found to be of Islāmic origin then it seemed they would be the ones to go undercover. It was not something either man was keen to do._

_"Ok." Ros paused as the team fell silent. "We know an attack is coming. We don't know what form it will take or when it will happen but Alec's informant has never been wrong before."_

_"Not yet." Zoe glared at the paperwork._

_"This man." Ruth turned to the overhead computer screen as all eyes fell on the changing images on the screen. "Dominic Brewer. Aged 51, currently in prison for embezzlement. He has another five years before he has any chance of early release."_

_"What is he doing in there?" Beth leant forwards in her seat. "That place is full of the most hardened criminals in the UK."_

_"Think of Al Capone and his ilk. The only thing they could prosecute him for was tax fraud. Everyone knew he was involved in some of the most bloodthirsty crimes of his time. Think of Brewer as a 21st Century version." Ruth glanced at Harry. "He keeps his friends close and enemies closer. GCHQ think he is planning something and has involved three young men who are in there for violent crimes."_

_"Who?" Lucas asked. Alec pressed a button, aware that Harry had remained silent throughout._

_"Aziz Kahn, James Lloyd and Lee Young. All aged 21 and 22. All part of the gang that robbed the jewellery shop in Oxford Street last year."_

_"When the young woman was killed?" Dimitri asked. Ruth nodded. Dimitri pulled a face. "They are sick. Really, I saw the news and if that is half of what the press is told then they are in serious need of mental health assessment."_

_"There were calls for the death penalty to be reinstated." Harry spoke. "We need someone to go in. Undercover, gain Brewer's trust. But also gain the trust of those three young men. It is a task none of us want."_

_"Harry." Ruth bit her lip, knowing her husband well enough to know what was coming next. Zaf and Lucas nodded._

_"Ros, you are to remain here, acting as Section Head." Harry watched as Ros' eyes widened. "Ruth, you are to remain as you are. Dimitri, Zoe and Calum find a chink in the armour. Malcolm, find a way of getting air tight legends for myself, Adam and Zaf." He paused as Lucas pulled a face. Ruth relaxed slightly, knowing Lucas would not be locked up. _

_"Harry, if anyone can get them to slip up." Lucas started._

_"I need you on the outside." Harry stated, leaving no room for argument. "We have to break this cell before these thugs bring about even more death and destruction. Malcolm. Those legends as soon as possible." Harry ended the meeting, knowing Ruth wouldn't look him in the eyes as she left the Briefing Room._

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_Now._

"Jimmy? You awake?" Harry narrowed his eyes as he listened to the overweight, heavily tattooed man talk. His eyes focused on a chink in the grey brick wall.

"Yeah."

"You married?"

"Yeah." Harry knew that was part of the legend. He had insisted upon Malcolm making sure that was added. There was no way he was removing his wedding ring. "Why?"

"You miss her?"

"What is this? Twenty questions?"

"Nah." His cellmate laughed. "You keep yourself to yourself."

"No one elses' concern why I am in here or what my life is like on the outside. Now, Billy shut up and let me get some sleep."

"Aye." The younger man laughed. "'e was right."

"Who was right?" Harry's Yorkshire accent crept through his words.

"Big Dom. He said you ere a dark 'orse and 'e was right."

"Don't care what Dom says."

"Well, I got that. That's why 'e likes you." Billy yawned. "Don't kick off at me, I'm only the messenger. Big Dom wants to see you after exercise in the morning. Before visiting."

"Does he." Harry stated rather than asked, wondering what Dominic Brewer wanted to see him for. The familiar sense of dread mixed with excitement and a wish to go home began to build in the pit of his stomach. It was his 'in' and he knew he couldn't blow it. He could only hope Adam and Zaf were having the same luck.

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"Ruth." She looked up as she heard her name. Malcolm stood next to her holding two mugs of tea. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She smiled as he handed her a mug of hot tea. "GCHQ are talking about some merchandise that has been moved. It's sketchy at best but it seems to be something to do with this case."

"I see." Malcolm sat next to her. "Have you told Ros?"

"Not yet." Ruth sipped her tea. "She's with Towers. This op is probably one of the most dangerous we have run. Zaf and Adam haven't done anything undercover for a while. Harry hasn't been on an op since I came home."

"Harry was the best field officer of his generation." Malcolm smiled. "Henry, Juliet. They will tell you the same." Ruth nodded and smiled slightly, proud of her husband's reputation as a field officer. She placed her mug on the desk in front of her and sighed.

"I know." She paused. "That's what's worrying me. Harry was the best. What if he isn't now?"

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A/N Please review. More soon x


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer - not mine**

**Separation.**

_**Ten days earlier**_

_"Harry." Ruth walked into his office unannounced. "You are seriously considering going undercover." He sighed heavily, knowing she was asking as both Section D's analyst and his wife. He nodded once. "Why?"_

_"I can hardly send Ros, Beth or Erin in undercover in an all male prison."_

_"Actually." Ros stated as she walked into the office. "He has a point but there is a way Zoe can get in there."_

_"What?" Harry looked up to see both women staring at him. Ros smiled slightly. "Zoe hasn't done any undercover since that debacle in Newcastle."_

_"It's about time she did then." Ros countered. "The prison has a vacancy for a psychologist. The current one is on maternity leave. Zoe has a degree in psychology."_

_"How often does a shrink go in?" Harry frowned, genuinely considering the possibility._

_"Once a week." Ruth stated. Ros watched as he mentally weighed up what he was being told. He knew it was a way of maintaining contact with the Grid and he had no idea how long the op would last._

_"Ask Malcolm to have a legend prepared for her." Harry stood up, walking to his whiskey decanter before thinking better of it and turning back to the two women. "I am roughly the same age as Dominic Brewer. Similar forces background."_

_"Except you joined MI 5. He committed murder and blackmail."_

_"Which was never proven in court." Harry sighed. Ros raised an eyebrow before leaving the room, sensing her time there was over. She closed the office door quietly before heading off to speak to Malcolm and Zoe._

_"Ruth." Harry continued. "I can't send Alec in. I need someone I know can infiltrate his gang, not barge in like a bat out of Hell."_

_"Alec can do his job."_

_"Yes, he is an investigator. Not an undercover officer. I will be fine."_

_"What do I tell the kids?"_

_"That I am away working. That I am coming home as soon as possible. Catherine and Graham will probably realise what I'm doing but Nick and Gracie don't need to know." Ruth sighed heavily, folding her arms across her navy blouse. Harry immediately recognised the walls going back up. Ruth was going into self preservation mode. "Ruth." He touched her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. "I am coming home."_

_"I."_

_"I promise. I will be home, before you've had a chance to miss me."_

_"Harry." She covered his hand with her smaller one, glad that the blinds to the office were closed. "I already miss you and you're here with me." He smiled slightly before kissing her gently, knowing this was going to be the most difficult job he had ever had._

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Now

"Well, they're in." Alec stated as he walked back onto the Grid with Beth a few steps behind him. Beth rolled her eyes before heading straight to Tariq's desk.

"Right." Ros looked around the room. "We carry on as we always have done. I'll handle Towers, Ruth can you have the latest threat analysis by this afternoon? I want to baffle him with facts and figures. Hopefully it'll keep him tied up for a while so we can get on with some work."

"Ok." Ruth sighed, glancing at Harry's empty office, wondering when it had become part of her routine to glance there at least once every few minutes. Ros looked away, knowing that Ruth was worried sick about the three undercover officers.

"I'm due to start my new job on Wednesday." Zoe leant against Zaf's desk. "Apparently it is the role of the in-house psychologist to assess all new in-mates."

"So you'll see Harry, Adam and Zaf?" Beth asked.

"Yeah." Zoe nodded. Ruth bit her lip, trying not to be jealous that Zoe got to talk to Zaf whereas it could be weeks or even months before she saw her husband again. Ros pushed herself away from Adam's desk before heading towards the office, knowing that meeting with Towers was going to take all her patience.

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"Jimmy Turner." Harry narrowed his eyes as he heard the tall, stocky man say his name.

"You wanted to see me."

"You're wife visiting later?"

"Why?" Harry was already on edge. He knew Ruth would not be visiting, the idea of her being in the large visiting room where criminals like Dominic Brewer would breathe the same air as her made him feel sick. It didn't stop him missing her and wishing she was going to be there, rather than either Ros or Beth pretending to be his daughter.

"Just making conversation."

"Well, don't." Harry paused. "I was told you wanted to talk to me. So talk."

"Straight to the point. I like that." Dom smiled, showing a gold tooth where his front incisor should have been. Harry remained calm. "I've heard about you."

"Aye." Harry let his Yorkshire roots show, knowing there was no way this criminal could ever guess he was the head of Anti-Terrorism at MI-5. "I've heard a fait bit about you."

"I know why you are in prison." Brewer continued. "And you don't look the type."

"Type? Didn't realise there was a type. I did what had to be done. Simple as. Now I'm serving my time because that has to be done. Simple as."

"Yeah. If you can't do the crime and all that Bull." Brewer smirked. "Only, you're like me." Harry tried not to shudder at the thought. "You do what has to be done and I do the same." Harry had to concede the man had a point.

"So? We're soul mates now." Harry smirked.

"Fag?"

"Don't smoke."

"No point in thinking of your health in this place." Brewer lit up a cigarette and blew the smoke in his face. Harry tried not to pull a face.

"I'd prefer to walk out of this prison rather than be carried out in a box." Harry stated. "I heard you are the man to be worried about here. Now is this why you wanted to see me? To make sure I know the pecking order." Harry shook his head.

"No, I know you have contacts on the outside."

"And how would you know that?" Harry watched as two younger men, one covered in tattoos similar to those Lucas wore passed. Brewer remained silent for a moment.

"I have contacts. Now, I heard you have something to do with that bomb last month."

"You know what I was convicted of. You know what I did." Harry knew the legend Malcolm had created made him seem like some sort of middle aged Mafia don. It was not a role he relished.

"And you know why I am in here."

"Money." Harry kept his face deadpan. "I heard you had a little financial issue."

"Multimillion pound tax fraud." Brewer laughed. "You could class that as trouble. Keep on my good side, Jimmy." He walked away leaving Harry to wonder what would happen next.

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Adam lay on the bottom of the two bunk beds in his cell. He knew his cell-mate was in the kitchens, working while he got accustomed to his new home. The locked door grated on his nerves but he knew he had to act the hard man, the 'mad dog' as Natasha had put it so many years earlier. Smiling slightly he wondered what the train station coffee girl would make of him being in prison now.

"Al?" He sat up to see Zaf in the doorway of his cell. "Settling in ok?"

"Yeah." Adam looked away.

"Sanjay Khan." Zaf stated. "Petty theft and GBH."

"Alan Coles."

"What you in for?" Zaf asked as two young men, one with a skin head and swastika tattoo on his forehead approached.

"My usual." Adam answered. The two men stopped as Zaf shrugged his shoulders.

"My first time in." Zaf looked at the floor. "And last."

"Not like Bad Girls, eh?" The thinner of the two young men laughed. Zaf looked up and shrugged. "Sanjay." He pointed to his chest. "This is Alan."

"Lee." The tattooed man spoke. "Looks like I'm your new room mate." Zaf raised an eyebrow before glancing at Adam. His friend did not look happy. "See you later, my bird is coming to visit." He turned and headed back down the corridor with his friend in tow.

"Bird." Adam rolled his eyes. "Can see Brain of Britain is going to be a hard nut to crack."

"Yeah. He should be glad Ros and Ruth aren't here." Zaf stepped away from the doorway of the cell. "Right, wonder if my bird is visiting. See you later Al." He wandered off, leaving Adam to wonder what was going to happen next.

#######################

"Yeah, I do bleedin know where I am going." The young woman snapped as she shrugged off Stan's arm. "I am going to kill Adam Carter!"

"Put her down." Ruth called as Malcolm and Alec rushed to help the harassed security guard. "What are you doing here? Natasha?"

"Adam Carter." She snapped. "What the Hell is he doing in the same nick as my brother?"

"Your brother?" Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "You didn't come up on any search. Did she Ruth?"

"No, you didn't." Ruth addressed the clearly angry woman. "Who is your brother?"

"Half brother." Natasha snapped. "It's not like we keep in touch. He's a short arsed, spiteful, racist little scum."

"Lee." Ruth stated. "It's Lee, isn't it."

"Yeah." Natasha frowned. "What's going on? Where's Colin? Has he put some device or something on Adam to find stuff out about my brother."

"No, he hasn't." Malcolm closed his eyes for a moment, knowing there was no way Natasha would ever have known about Colin's death. It was a story he seemed doomed to relive. "It is of no concern of your how Adam found himself in that predictament."

"How did you find out?" Ros asked as she took Natasha by the elbow and frog marched her to Harry's office. Ruth and Malcolm exchanged glances before following. Stan shook his head before holding up a hand as Tariq asked if he was ok.

"Whatever is going on." Stan smiled. "I don't need to know, but that girl." He nodded to where Ros had half dragged a protesting Natasha. "She should be on your team. The girl has balls!" He laughed before walking away. Tariq shook his head, wondering what the dark haired woman would do to the team and why she was so concerned about Adam.

#########################

Adam glared as he looked around the visiting room, aware that there was going to be little chance to talk to whoever Ros had sent to visit him. Zoe wouldn't start until Wedsnesday and Ruth had been banned from leaving the Grid, even though he knew she would ignore that ban if she wanted to.

"Sit down." The guard snapped. "You're girlfriend is still signing in." Adam kept his face impassive before sitting on the plastic chair. He had known Malcolm had been given little time to prepare legends for them all and he knew Carrie would never be allowed to visit. She thought he was in the Middle East on an op. The thought that she was going to be worried sick everytime the news came on TV or radio made him nauseated with guilt. There was so much about the job his wife could never know, not like when he had been with Fiona. He looked around the room, watching the tattoed boy he had met earlier laugh as a girl a few years older walked in. Recognition hit him like a punch in the stomach. There was no way she could see him there. He immediately slumped in his chair, hoping the brunette wouldn't recognise him, wouldn't remember him sat with her as she was tied to a bomb.

"Alan." He looked up to see Joan Gough stood in front of him. "Rachel couldn't make it. Something about having to sort the kids out so its me I'm afraid. Good old Auntie Joan." Adam smiled slightly, knowing the sleeper agent and Beth's former mentor was the best person for the job. What he didn't know was what the repercussions of Natasha being a prison visitor was going to be. "What is it?" Joan continued. "You can tell me."

"I know." Adam smiled. "I'm not sure yet but it's big and I'd bet money on it being a race related attack. I've made contact with JK." He referred to Zaf as he glanced up to see him talking to Erin. "Not seen the boss yet. My cell mate isn't exactlty a MENSA candidate so next time you visit I should have something." He smiled as she held his hands, a slip of paper passed discreetly between them.

"I'm an old woman." Joan stated. "Too old for all this worry." She looked up as the guard passed. "I'll visit if this goes on longer than a fortnight, otherwise tell Zoe or Ros when they visit. Harry will get a visit from Becky. His daughter." Adam smiled, remembering Beth's alias. Moments later he was lead back to his cell, waiting to see whether he could get Lee to talk.

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"One of yours turned bad then?" Natasha shrugged off Ros as she spoke. "If Colin hasn't given him comms then Adam really did lose the plot."

"He has not lost the plot." Ros stated cooly.

"There was a bloke in charge last time I was 'ere, an all."

"Sit down." Ruth spoke calmly. "You remember Adam. Things aren't always what they seem. You helped him safe Zaf yeah? I remember that." Ruth watched as recognition passed through the younger woman's eyes. "It was you that helped us catch a terrorist. Risked your life to save half of London."

"Shining Dawn." Ros remembered hearing about the case. Ruth nodded.

"Harry is still in charge. Adam is on a case, with him and Zaf." Ruth knew she was risking the safety of her husband and friends, but Natasha had helped them once before. "Colin."

"Died." Ros stated. "He was murdered."

"Oh my God." Natasha's eyes filled with tears. "Colin? Lovely, gentle Colin?"

"Yes, a few years ago. Maybe a year after you helped us." Ruth bit her lip, the memories of being sat in Harry's front room with the rest of the team flooded back to her. "We need you to help us. We didn't know you were related to Lee, but he is in trouble."

"He's in prison for eight years." Natasha shrugged her shoulders. "How much more in trouble can he be?"

"Oh you'd never believe us if we told you." Ros stated, her eyes staying on Natasha as Lucas walked into the office.

"Ros."

"He's in danger of having his sentance increased to life. Maybe even a whole life tarriff."

"He's 22." Natasha stated. "A complete plank with a very warped mind but."

"Lucas." Ros acknowledged his presence. "Anything?"

"Zaf called in." They had known he would be the first to be able to communicate with the team. "It's definately happening."

"When?"

"Still unsure but he and Adam have an in with the two racist thugs Brewer has hired."

"Lee." Natasha closed her eyes. "He's going to do it again. Isn't he?"

"I don't know." Ros stated honestly. "Why don't you tell us what he did the first time?"

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A/N Can Natasha help? Please review. Oh the flashbacks to the start of the op may continue. Hope thats ok.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Tuesday/Wednesday**

Ruth stared at the computer screen as the rest of the Grid carried on around her. She hated Harry not being on the Grid but she knew they were almost certainly going to stop one of the worst terrorist attacks of the decade. Sighing heavily she looked up to see Zoe stood at her side.

"Ruth?"

"I'm just going through the reports on Dominic Brewer from his last prison."

"Ok." Zoe looked through the glass at the brunette currently pretending Ros didn't intimidate her. "How did that woman know Adam and Colin?"

"It was a long time ago." Malcolm started. "You were away, Zoe. The group Rising Dawn were causing problems. Natasha was caught in the middle. Basically Colin got her to wear a jacket with a voice activated tracker. Almost a prototype of the earrings Tariq put together for you and Ros last year."

"I see." Zoe frowned. "And?"

"She helped Adam stop a terrorist attack on a hospital." Ruth continued. "She's an intelligent girl. And she can't help who her brother is."

"That's true." Malcolm smiled slightly as Ruth turned back to her computer screen.

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"I have no idea what you are talking about." Natasha narrowed her eyes as Ros glared at her. Beth stood in the doorway of the office and watched as the apparently unflappable Natasha met the Ice Queen.

"You signed the Act." Ros stated. "Now why is your brother in prison."

"Ruth said Adam was still one of you lot. So why is he in there? You keeping corrupt officers on." Ros narrowed her eyes even further, knowing she was on the edge of losing her temper.

"He is. Now what is Lee doing that you are so concerned about."

"He was always easily led." Natasha sat down. "I don't need this now. I'm manager of that coffee shop these days. You know the one those thugs tried to blow up."

Ros sat down, watching the younger woman. It was only a matter of time before Natasha filled in the details they had been unable to retrieve.

"Got into trouble in school. Got expelled." Natasha rolled her eyes. "Drugs, booze and robbing. All stupid little things that an idiot wouldn't touch with a barge pole. Not that he was that stupid, just liked giving our mum and his dad a few nervous breakdowns. Then he met this girl."

"Who?"

"Tracey Brewer." Natasha sighed.

"Daughter of Dominic Brewer?"

"You know him?" Natasha looked up. "Oh this is about him? Innit. He's playing up. Lee always has been in awe of him. We weren't brought up to be racist. Live and let live, as long as you can get by and no one gets hurt it didn't matter to our parents who you were or where you came from. Big planet, small world. That's what Mum used to say. Then he met up with Tracey and her pro-nazi little Hitler wannabe of a father. Then he changed."

"How?" Lucas asked.

"Stopped drugs and robbing so in that way I was pleased. So was Mum."

"But?"

"He was pulling away from his mates. Well, some of them. The ones that were brought up Muslim, Catholic or anything other than C of E. I mean we weren't religious, only went to Church for the odd hatch, match and dispatch. You know? Like most people."

"I know." Lucas smiled kindly. He liked the younger woman, could see why Adam had trusted her all those years earlier. "So? He started playing up."

"Yeah. Got arrested for throwing stones at the Mosque in Peckham." Natasha sighed. "It went down hill from there. Then last year he was arrested and charged with attempting to kill a Jewish lad in the West End. That was it as far as I was concerned. I've got a two year old to think of."

"You've got kids?"

"Yeah one. Little boy, Ryan. I don't want him growing up around this. So, I told him. Enough is enough. If Dom's way of life was what he wanted then he could forget about us."

"Then why were you at the prison?" Ros asked. "If you didn't want anything to do with him?"

"Mum died last week. I wanted to tell him about the funeral in person and that he was not welcome. I don't want him and his swastika tattoos there upsetting Grandad and making mum look a show when she isn't here to defend herself. I nearly had a stroke myself when I saw Adam in that prison visiting room."

Ros smiled slightly, knowing that the brunette coffee shop manager would be willing to help them again. "Adam is working there. So is Zaf and Harry."

"Harry? Harry Pearce? Isn't he getting on a bit?"

"He's not that old." Ruth stated as she walked in the office. "I've found something. Oh and Harry is far from past it." Ruth smiled as Natasha blushed furiously.

"Oh did I not mention Ruth and Harry are married now?" Ros asked sweetly as Natasha closed her eyes and swore.

##########################

"Jimmy." Harry ignored the younger man he was forced to share a cell with and carried on counting the holes in the cell's ceiling. "What did Brewer want?"

"Nothing."

"No." The tattooed prisoner smirked. "Not nothing." Shouts from the communal area below caught their attention. Harry swore before they walked out of the cell, glad that it had been left open for them to attend the communal areas. "What the f."

"What's going on?" Harry asked as a prison officer marched up to them.

"In the cell now."

"What's happened?" Harry asked again. "Sounds like someone was getting battered."

"Mind your own business." The officer snapped as Harry squared his shoulders. "I know your reputation but you don't intimidate me. Now in your cell." Harry narrowed his eyes for a moment before turning and walking into the cell with his cell mate just behind him.

"Reputation."

"We've all got a past. Suffice to say this isn't my first time inside." Harry explained, knowing that was the truth, he had been undercover in prison when he was Adam's age. "What do you think happened down there?"

"Some kid had a smack. It's what happens when you are in this place."

"Yeah." Harry nodded. "Look, would this be anything to do with Brewer?"

"Yeah." The younger man nodded. "Probably." Harry narrowed his eyes hoping it wasn't Adam or Zaf that had been attacked.

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Zoe tucked a strand of hair behind her ears as yet another inmate walked out of her office. She only wanted to see the men on her team, knowing both Ruth and Carrie would gladly swap with her. But interviewing the newer inmates of the team was not at the top of her to do list. The door creaked open as Zoe looked up.

"Hi, I'm Dr Young." She smiled as she looked up to see Zaf walk in. "Please sit down."

Zaf looked up, desperate to hug his fiance but knowing he was probably being recorded. "I've been told to come to see you."

"Oh God." Zoe covered her mouth as she spoke. "What happened?"

"I'm Sandeep Khan." Zaf continued. "It is me at 1 pm isn't it?"

"Yeah." Zoe nodded. "What happened to your face?"

"Got punched. I'm fine, honestly." He sat down opposite her. "There's definitely something brewing. I've not had a chance to talk to Harry but Adam is in the same cell as me. It's almost as if they knew we were coming."

"Of course they did." Zoe blinked back the tears as she spoke. "They were expecting two more in mates."

"But why put me and Adam together? There was a fight today." Zaf glared. "Definitely racist in origin. I didn't get the feeling me being there was helping. Some lad with a tattoo on his forehead started chanting racist comments. Brewer was there. Said something to the prison officer before walking away. Whatever is going on, it is definitely has something to do with the guards in this place."

"Are you ok?"

"Zo." He paused before touching her hand. "Adam and Harry are going to talk to you. This is work. As much as I am hating being away from you and our kids I have to do this. Brewer has control over this place."

"And Ruth has linked him to at least three groups on the outside that are on our radar. We have a contact that may also help. Has suggested links to various race hatred groups."

"Oh great."

"It really looks like whatever this is." Zoe sighed. "It's going to be big. Please be careful."

"I'll be fine." He squeezed her hand before standing and walking out the office, hating every step he took away from her.

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"Oh God." Ruth spoke quietly. "Oh my God." Malcolm and Calum looked up to see Ruth visibly pale.

"Ruth? What is it?" Dimitri asked as Ruth pushed herself away from the desk. The image on the screen still holding her attention. "Ruth?" Dimitri tried again as Alec and Beth approached her desk.

"Bloody Hell." Alec glared. "We have to get them out of there."

"Harry won't abandon a case." Lucas stated. "Not when lives are at stake."

"Then we have to warn them." Beth dragged her eyes away from the screen. "If these thugs are inciting race hatred by blaming attacks on specific ethnic groups."

"Then we could see the riots happening again." Tariq stated. "Trust me, walking around in this skin wasn't always easy a few years ago. If I was carrying a bag I got some weird looks. Bet you wouldn't have got them."

"No, not until my real name was mentioned. Greek, Catholic names don't always make it easy." Dimitri sighed. "In 2014 you'd think it would be different."

"Yeah." Beth sighed. "There are some strange people out there. Ruth, what have you found."

"Ros needs to see this." Ruth swallowed hard. Lucas nodded before heading back to the office. Seconds later Ros marched towards them.

"Ros needs to see what?"

"This." Ruth turned the computer screen towards her.

"Shit."

"Yeah, that's going to hit the fan." Calum announced.

"And lots of it." Alec agreed.

"We get this information to Harry. If he is back then we have to assume that this is bigger than we thought." Ros glared. "If Jools Silvitir is involved you can bet Tessa isn't far behind."

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A/N More soon. Is Jools involved? Please review.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Old Friends?**

"We knew they would be back." Lucas glared at the computer screen. "Sooner or later."

"Bad pennies do have a tendency." Malcolm sighed as he shook his head. "I worked with Tessa. So did Zoe. She was very good at what she did. She just got incredibly greedy."

"She is a vile, self serving, money grabbing, egotistical.." Ruth spoke quietly as Ros raised an eyebrow.

"You don't like her?" Erin smirked as Lucas rolled his eyes.

"Well, I don't send her Christmas cards." Ruth replied. "Why now? Why would she be involved in this?"

"Where's the money?" Tariq asked. "You said it yourself, Ruth. She's a money grabber. There has to be a financial angle that we haven't considered yet."

"Brewer is fairly well off." Calum folded his arms. "We know his money from the tax fraud was never found."

"True." Ros looked over at the newest member of the team. "Calum, find out if there is a link between Brewer and Tessa Philips. She may be the finance behind his scheme. Jools had links to Nightingale."

"Them again." Beth closed her eyes. "Haven't they got the message yet?"

"Apparently not." Lucas frowned. "So?"

"I'll follow the money." Tariq rubbed his hands together before turning back to his computer. Malcolm got to his feet as he noticed Natasha leave the office. He needed to talk to the young woman but he had no idea if she would want to hear what he had to say.

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Adam walked into the psychologist's office and glared. The room was different to how he had expected it to be. Zoe looked up and smiled warmly.

"Alan?"

"Yeah."

"You know why you were sent to see me?" She asked as he crossed the room to her. He nodded as she glanced at the recording device she had found ten minutes earlier. Adam nodded once more, understanding what she as trying to say.

"Yeah." He answered.

"How are you coping with life inside?"

"How?" He shook his head. "I got a year."

"Alan?" He pushed himself back from the desk and began to rant and rave, keeping totally in character. Zoe frowned for a moment before getting to her feet. "Sit down." She spoke calmly, knowing Adam would ignore her. For a completely sane man, one she classed as a close friend he could act almost as if he was psychotic at times. He threw the books and tape recorder off her desk as she approached him, muscles tense he looked to the rest of the world as if he could kill her in a second. She planted her hands on the desk and glared at him.

"Sit down."

Adam planted his hands on the wood in front of her. "No." Seconds later three prison guards rushed in and dragged him out the room, still kicking and shouting. Zoe shook her head as she picked up the paper he had dropped. Smiling slightly she slipped it into the waistband of her dress and left the room.

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Harry glared across the excercise yard as the early Spring sunshine hit his eyes. He watched Brewer talk to a man about the same build as Adam and knew he was being spoken about. Taking a steady breath he tried not to think of Ruth and the children, or the fact his oldest child was due to have her second baby at any time. He had missed too much of Catherine and Graham's childhood. He didn't want to repeat those mistakes with Nick and Gracie-Jo or any of his grandchildren.

"Jimmy."

"What?" He snapped as the man that had been talking to Brewer glared at him.

"You spoken to Big Dom yet?"

"Big Dom." Harry pulled a face. "Makes him sound like a bleach advert. Yes, I have. What's it to do with you?"

"He ain't happy with your response."

"Then he can talk to me himself. He's a big boy." Harry glared at the man. Moments later Dom appeared at his side.

"That I can. Slim? Piss off." He narrowed his eyes as the younger man skulked away.

"I told you. I am in here to do the time I was given and get out." Harry glared at the wide-set man. "You deaf?"

"No I heard you." Brewer laughed. "But you also said you did what needed to be done. I like that in a man. So I did a little digging."

"And?" Harry knew the legend Malcolm had put together would stand up. He just wanted to know who was leaking personal details to the self proclaimed King of the cells.

"And I have something which needs to be done."

"Such as?" Harry asked. "I am not doing anyone's dirty work."

"Really? And is the guy that got your daughter pregnant then beat her up gonna be walking around any time soon?"

Harry clenched his fists, knowing legends had to have a degree of truth in them. Ryan Harris was Charlie's biological father but he was scum as far as he was concerned. Brewer smiled.

"See? A reaction. You aren't Mr Cool after all."

"You leave my kid out of this."

"I will." Brewer agreed. "But only if you do something for me."

"Blackmail." Harry squared up to him. "Are you sure you want to go down that line?"

"I have kids. A daughter, my Tracey. Actually my son-in-law is in the cell next to yours. A bit of a handful."

"Family reunion. How touching."

"He ain't the brightest star in the sky."

"The kid with the face tatoo. I guessed he wouldn't be bothering MENSA." Harry stated calmly. "He's the thug that started that fight. Beat up an Asian lad yesterday." Harry knew Zaf had been on the receiving end but had given as good as he had got. It seemed that although Zaf hated violence he was more than capable in taking care of himself. Brewer laughed as he nodded.

"Yeah, thing is." He looked around. "I don't like that sort"

"What sort?" Harry already felt sick with disgust.

"The sort that aren't English."

"He might be."

"Oh I get his parents may be born 'ere but you know wha I mean. I've got financial backing. The ear of a few like minded officials. I can make a difference and I think you can too."

"A difference?" Harry knew Brewer had no idea who he was. "How?"

"Tomorrow night."

"What about it?"

"I'll have more details then but my money is coming through. I need to know you are the sort of man that can get things done. When necessary."

"You know I am."

"I want this nick burned down. I want to walk out the door and return to my business unheeded. Now I have the means to do it. Be ready to walk tomorrow night."

"What are you talking about? A riot?"

"Yeah well, means to an ends. If a few of these sodding guards and that pretty little shrink get in the way then that's their problem."

Harry nodded, suddenly concerned for Zoe's safety, knowing the psychologist met with the prison doctor and govoner the next day. Brewer clapped him on the back. "She is very pretty. Enjoy your session." He walked away leaving Harry to glare after him.

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Zoe walked back onto the Grid amid what would look like generalised chaos to everyone else. Sitting down at her desk she opened the paper Adam had given her an hour before. "Ruth?"

"Yeah?"

"I need you to see this." She handed the paper to her. "Adam gave it to me."

"Did you see Harry?" Ruth asked as Zoe shook her head.

"No, my sessions were cancelled after Adam turned the desk over and pretended to pin me in the corner." She shrugged as Erin's eyes grew wider.

"Adam." Ruth smiled as she read the slip of paper. "Only you."

"What? What is it?"

"I think it's a map reference or a date." She frowned at the jumble of letters. "Whatever it is he has put it in code, knowing anyone but us would think it was lottery numbers or some nonsense."

"But?"

"Give me an hour. I'll let you know what he said." Ruth smiled, glad to have some communication from her friends. She missed Harry until it was almost painful but knew the op couldn't go on forever. Tapping the numbers into the codebreaker system Calum and Malcolm had devised she sat and waited.

##################

"Natasha." Malcolm caught up with the younger woman. "I am sorry you had to hear about Colin like that."

"He was a lovely man." Natasha sighed. The rain bouncing on the pavement around them. "And he did save my life. Along with Mad Dog and the rest of you."

"Can I ask you something?" Malcolm asked. "If I am prying."

"Tough, because it's what you do." Natasha smiled at him. "It's your job."

"Well, yes." He smiled back. "But why is it that you came to us? I know you saw Adam at the prison but why did you think to come straight to us? Why get yourself involved in this world again? I know Adam wanted to recruit you."

"But I said no." She shook her head. "This isn't my world. I have a child now. I have to keep him safe. Ryan is my number one priority. Nothing else. My idiot little brother worships Brewer, God only knows why but he does. And he is stupid enough to do whatever that man tells him to do."

"I see."

"He has to be stopped." Natasha looked away for a moment. "Before he does something there is no going back from."

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A/N please let me know what you think. I am guessing this story isn't going down too well. It's still at the delete and restart point so let me know.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Threats and Promises**

Terri hurried up the front steps to Harry and Ruth's house. She knew she was running late after promising Ruth she would look after Charlie, Nick and Gracie Jo for the day. Glancing around she couldn't shake the feeling she had been followed but had no idea why.

"Hiya." Nick yelled as Ruth opened the door. "I'm fourteen and I don't need a babysitter." He glanced at Ruth as Terri walked in.

"Way to make a girl feel wanted." Terri smiled as she picked up Gracie who wriggled in her arms.

"Nick." Ruth stared at him. "You do. I am not leaving you in charge with the children here. I trust Terri. Anyway, Wes has gone to see Adam's mum and Molly is away on her netball tour so where else would you be?"

"And I've got a new DVD in my bag." Terri smiled. "And I am not that bad am I?"

"No, course you're not. Harry told me to look after the little ones that's all. While he was away." Ruth and Terri glanced at each other.

"Ok." Terri nodded. "And you are. You are helping me look after them. Now come on." She ushered the teenager through to the living room. "Ruth, stop worrying. We will be fine." She watched as Ruth picked up an incredibly oversized bag before kissing Gracie and rushing out the house. "What are we going to do with your Mum?" Terri asked the eighteen month old little girl who just shook her head in response.

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"Natasha has agreed to help." Malcolm walked towards Ros as he spoke. "She stayed with Sarah and I last night."

"You have got to stop taking in waifs and strays." Calum smirked. Ros glared at him.

"Good." Ros nodded. "She can visit her brother again. See what she can find out about Brewer and his little scheme."

"She's not going to be able to drop in." Calum frowned. "You know that. They only get two visiting orders a month. She's had one and his girlfriend has had the other one."

"Girlfriend?" Beth looked up. "You mean Tracey Brewer?"

"Yeah." Calum nodded. "She's got the other order."

"Well, we stop her getting to the prison. Get Natasha into the prison." Ros looked at Tariq and Calum. Tariq smiled before flexing his fingers and turning to his computer. Ros rolled her eyes, determined that she didn't want to know how Tariq was going to get the visiting order changed but she knew he's manage to somehow.

"What time is it?" Lucas glanced at his watch. "Where's Ruth?"

"Oh great." Ros sighed. "Has anyone heard from her?"

"Last time she was late for work she was abducted." Malcolm frowned. "That nasty business with Andrew Forstrell." Tariq raised an eyebrow. "Before your time."

"This is all we need." Ros snapped. "Beth, try her mobile. Dimitri, try her house phone. Ruth is never late. Ever. She might be the second one to arrive when Harry is here but she is never this late."

"For a spook her routines are completely predictable." Alec frowned. "This is not good."

"It's routines that give structure. Create a civilised world." Ros frowned. "Find Ruth."

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Ruth walked along the pavement, aware that she was being followed. It was the first time she had taken public transport since she had moved in with Harry. She had thought leaving the car for Terri to use was the right decision. Now she was not so sure.

"Excuse me." A gruff voice spoke as a figure bumped into her.

"Ok." Ruth tensed but relaxed once she realised it was a group of school boys from the local high school in a rush to arrive before the bell went. She forced herself to relax as she reached the bus stop. Seconds later she felt her heart race to dangerous levels before her ears started ringing. She had a sharp pain in her right arm. She shook her head and stepped back as strong hands grabbed her before bundling her into the boot of a green car.

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"She didn't get on the bus this morning." Calum yelled as Ros walked back in through the Pods.

"If this was anyone else, I wouldn't bat an eyelid." Ros frowned.

"But this is Ruth." Zoe stated. "Trouble finds her."

"That is true." Malcolm frowned as he thought of his friend. "I just checked on Natasha. She's managed to convince the prison to allow her to visit on compassionate grounds. As part of her mother's funeral arrangements." Ros smirked, slightly impressed at the young woman who ran a coffee shop.

"Good." Ros folded her arms. "I knew Adam must have seen something in her when Shining Dawn were annoying everyone. Any news on Tessa and Jools?"

"Hopefully they've crawled back under whatever stone they crawled out of." Malcolm snapped. Ros raised her eyebrows, unused to her friend's attitude. Mild mannered and generally calm Malcolm did not snap. Ever.

"Boss!" Dimitri yelled as he stared at the CCTV monitor Erin had hijacked. "Ruth's been abducted."

"Shit." Ros snapped, knowing that the analyst had been an easy target for Harry's enemies with him not around.

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Harry walked along the gangway above the prison's communal area and glared. He couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. He was certain he had done nothing to give his cover away. Neither had Adam and Zaf. Both had managed to communicate with him, knowing he would be the one to talk to the 'psychiatrist' next. It definitely wasn't an Islāmic group planning the attack. It seemed that Brewer's friends had just wanted to create even more Islamaphobia to push their racist views on the rest of the population. He shook his head as he watched Brewer and the man he now knew was his son in law walk towards them.

"Morning, Jimmy." Brewer smiled. Harry nodded in greeting. "See lad, I told you. Our Jimmy here is the strong silent type."

"I don't see the point in talking when I have nothing to say." Harry glared, aware that two more inmates had appeared behind him. He didn't need to turn around to know they were more of Brewer's vile little gang.

"Ah fair enough." Brewer nodded. "As they say talk comes cheep."

Harry curled one lip into a snarl. He knew what was coming. He had refused to abide by Brewer's rules. He refused to allow himself to be blackmailed and had stayed in the character Malcolm had created in the legend. "They do." Harry glared.

"Thing is." Brewer smirked. "I know why you don't like to talk. Might let something slip."

"Slip?"

"Yeah, about your beautiful wife, baby daughter and step son. Nick's doing well at school I hear." Harry felt his blood run cold. "Younger wife too. That did surprise me. But then anyone your age would be past it where having kids are concerned."

"I'm sorry but I haven't got a clue what you are talking about." He clenched his fists as Brewer stepped nearer.

"Oh I think you do." Brewer smirked. "I think you know exactly what I am talking about." The air in the room changed. Harry knew his suspicions over the last couple of days had been right. His cover was blown and Ruth was in trouble. Locked away in the prison there was nothing he could do to help her.

"It's been a long night." Harry stated. "And I've not slept. Care to enlighten me?"

"Harry Pearce. Henry James Pearce. Ex wife of Jane Townsend. Father to Graham, Catherine, Nick and Grace. Grandpa and cricket enthusiast. Oh, what else was there?" Harry wanted to scream. He knew he was dead. If he didn't get these men away from him he would be murdered where he stood.

"Not a clue. My girl is Cath but that's the only thing you're right about." Harry stated firmly. He knew the younger man was aware he had an adult daughter. There was no point in lying about it. "I've not got time to listen to this shit." He pushed passed Brewer and the boy at his side. Suddenly two arms grabbed him from behind as a punch landed firmly in his guts. Harry doubled over in pain just as guards yelled and ran towards them with sirens ringing through the walls.

"Harry Pearce. Head of Counter Terrorism." Brewer hissed. "See? I have friends in very low places that hate you as much as I do."

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"How did we not know this?" Ros tucked her gun in the back of her jeans as Lucas grabbed his jacket.

"Because this is the sort of link only Ruth would find." Beth snapped. Ros glared at her, knowing the younger blonde was right.

"Brewer's daughter is the link. Tracey." Calum stated. "We have to get word to Adam and the others."

"I'll make a surprise visit to the prison. "Zoe offered. "Say I'm there to make up time for leaving early the other day. That I don't want to fall behind in my assessments. That way I'll get to talk to Harry."

"Or maybe not." Calum turned the monitor of his computer so they could all see. The footage from BBC News showed fire erupting from the cell windows as men scaled the roof of the prison. Police helicopters could be heard as the reporter talked.

"Is that Harry?" Erin pointed at the figure of a middle aged man with a badly bruised face on the edge of the roof. "Oh my God."

"They're going to kill him." Lucas blinked. "He's going to be pushed off the roof." Ros froze, unsure what to do. Harry had been a constant in her life since she had joined Section D. Even though she had resented him at the time he had become a close friend as well as boss over the last few years.

"Find Ruth." Ros spoke calmly. "Lucas, you and Alec concentrate on getting to the prison. We have to get our men out of there. Even if Harry." She paused. "Even if. Adam and Zaf are still in there. Zoe stay here, go through any intel Ruth may have been working on."

"Ok." Zoe took her jacket off.

"Erin, Beth, Dimitri concentrate on finding Ruth." Ros stated. "Malcolm, keep in touch with Natasha. We may still need her. Tariq?"

"Follow the money." He nodded. "I did. This is what I found."

"What." She stated, rather than asked.

"The money is being paid directly into Tracey Brewer's account." He paused. "From an offshore account in the name of Julian Silvitir."

"Right." Ros paused. "He warned us he would be back. He pays money Nightingale is giving him. So he and Tessa can hand the dirty work to someone else."

She zipped up her jacket and stormed towards the Pods, knowing if they weren't fast enough the extremists would win and Section D would be damaged beyond repair.

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A/N More soon. Please review.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Fear and Loathing in London**

Ruth lay in the boot of the old rusty car knowing the men in the driving seat thought she was unconscious. Part of her was too angry to think about the way they had plucked her off the London street without anyone even noticing. She glared at the closed boot of the car, knowing she had to get out. No one knew where she was, no one was missing her. There was no rescue committee on the way this time. Closing her eyes and swearing under her breath she began to think of a way of getting away. Harry was in trouble, to her that was all that mattered.

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Erin looked up at the rioters on the roof of the prison. The grey sky above them did nothing to highlight the men on the roof shouting and throwing various things to the ground. Harry was nowhere to be seen.

"Ms Watts." She turned to see the Prison Governor walk towards her.

"How many people are involved?" She asked as she watched Alec tense next to her. He was Harry's friend long before he had been roped into Section D, she could sense how worried he was. Now Ruth was missing that just compounded the need to get the three section D officers out of the mess that was erupting around them.

"Most of E Wing." He shook his head. "Mr White, Ms Watts." He sighed. "I know you placed operatives in my prison but I hope this was not what you had in mind."

"No." Alec snapped. "I know you may think this." He ducked as another brick landed on the tarmac a few feet away from them. "But this was going to happen whether we were in there anyway. You have a serious problem with corruption and blaming this on Section D is not going to help."

"My officers."

"One of them is the weak link." Erin narrowed her eyes. "One of them has blown the cover of three of my colleagues. I want to know who."

"I really don't see how." The older man glared at her, Erin and Alec exchanged glances. It was going to be a long day.

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"Sanj." Zaf turned as he heard his undercover name called. The red-haired inmate from three cells along walked towards him. "Wait." He caught up with him as he realised Zaf was breathing heavily. "Breathe, slowly. That arsehole catch 'old of you again? Piece of shit, e is."

"Yeah." Zaf nodded. "Ribs."

"Bloody painful. I know." He frowned. "Did mine a few times. You'll live, just keep your head down. Likes of him aint got two brain cells to rub together."

"Racist." Zaf sighed. "Met a few in my time."

"Aye. antisemitic, homophobic, sexist." He agreed. "Finley Morris. Doing six months for petty theft and pick pockets."

"One year. Car theft." Zaf shook his hand.

"A year! Nicking wheels?"

"Well, I did nick the car that belonged to the Home Secretary's son. Nice car. Well, it was until I hit the rear end of the number 47." Zaf watched as the older man laughed. The riot continued outside the small alcove between the cells, the grey prison walls scorched by fire.

"There's a spy in 'ere." Fin started. Zaf felt his blood run cold.

"What? Who?"

"Older bloke I think." He watched as the colour drained from Zaf's face. "I know his name is Harry Pearce and I've been his asset for years. Will be again, when I get out of this place. He's in trouble. I'd reckon you and that cocky blonde lad are two of his. I suggest you find him and get him off the roof." Finlay glared. "And before you ask, I can keep my mouth shut but I can't help you rescue him."

"How?"

"I was at school with Harry. Good mates we were. Different world and I'd be your boss."

"Did you blow his cover?" Zaf asked as he watched the older man smirk.

"No. But Brewer had a visitor last week who recognised Adam and Harry. She didn't see you."

"Who?"

"Older bird. Bobbed hair, looked full of her own importance. Bit posh, talked like she had a nasty taste in her mouth."

"Tessa?"

"Tessa, Tracey something like that. I don't think he said her name more than once. Seemed surprised to see her."

"The bitch." Zaf swore as the anger built up in him. Tessa Philips was only ever involved in anything if it was to raise money for her. He knew wherever she was Jools Silvitir was never going to be far behind.

"Aye lad." Fin watched as the rioters moved along the landing. "The roof?"

"Thanks." Zaf nodded his appreciation befoer running towards where Adam was involved in a confronation with a skinny man covered in tattoos.

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"Any news from the prison?" Ros marched back onto the Grid as Malcolm shook his head.

"Alec and Erin are there." He replied. "Nothing called in as yet."

"And Ruth?"

"No." Malcolm looked down. "We have nothing on the whereabouts of Ruth." Ros closed her eyes, wondering how she was going to tell Harry his wife had been abducted, then silently berating herself when she realised if Harry wasn't pulled out of the prison soon it wouldn't matter how she told him, he wouldn't ba able to hear it.

"Ros." Tariq looked up. "I think I have something."

"Go on." She marched across to the younger man's desk, relieved that at least the baby of the team seemed to have somthing positive to tell her.

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_Ten Days Earlier._

_"Be careful." She ran her hands along the front of his jacket as he took a steadying breath. "Do. Not. Get. Shot. Under any circumstances. Do you hear?"_

_"Loud and clear." He smiled down at her, covering her hands with his own. "And if we are leaving instructions. Ruth, do not go out into the field. We have enoough field officers. And more than enough to keep you on the Grid. Promise me. I need to know you are safe."_

_"Harry." She smiled slightly as he kissed her. She knew when she opened her eyes, he'd be gone._

_Now_

"Don't go in the field." She muttered to herself, remembering the last thing she had heard Harry say. "Well, I didn't and this still happened." She raised an eyebrow as she realised there was a gap in the flooring of the still moving car. It was risky, she could be killed but the rust bucket on wheels, which her abductors had clearly stolen from a scrap yard had enough gap that she could slip through without being seen until it was too late. Smiling slightly she knew it was foolhardy to say the least. That Lucas and Ros would jt stare at her should it work while Harry would have a small heart attack if he ever found out. But she had to do something. "Two choices." She huffed. "Stay here and let them kill you or have a chance." She gently pulled the flooring of the boot up and waited until she was sure she was able to fit through the gap without being crushed. Moments later the engine could be heard to change. It was now or never.

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Adam jumped a small gap on the roof as he saw Zaf ahead. Harry looked to be beaten unconscious as his body lay across the tiles. His hands tied behind his back it was clear that Lee and another thug were going to throw him off the building.

"What you picking on him for?" Zaf yelled.

"Keep out of this." The tattooed man glared. "Dun want you telling me what to do."

"Are you serious?" Zaf raised an eyebrow. "He's an old man. My dad is younger than him!" He saw Harry raise an eyebrow, knowing that was not true. "You want to push a pensioner off the edge." He could sense Harry trying to pretend he was still out cold but also plotting his transfer to Sibera as soon as they all got back to Thames House. He had to keep the skin head talking.

"Do one."

"No." Zaf avoided looking at Adam. "You can't tell me what to do. See? In here we're all the may tell you different but in prison we're all crooks. All criminals. You are the same as me."

"No." Lee flashed a toothless grin. Zaf wondered if he had ever had a tooth in the front of his mouth or if it had been knocked out in a fight earlier. "I aint like you. You're "

"What? A car thief? A bloke with a brain in his head? Or are you talking about my skin colour?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

"Come on then. Say it! Don't hide behind Brewer. Don't use that bloke as a sheild. Say what you want." An audible 'ouf' could be heard as the skinny man hit the ground. Harry fell to his knees as Adam tried his best not to pulverise the scum he was holding on to.

"Harry"

"I'll live." Harry coughed as Zaf untied him. "You howver." He glared at Zaf who just shrugged.

Adam shook his head, knowing he would be in his own bed that night. It was over, or at least their part in the prison was. The thugs had been shown to be thugs intent of pushing Nightingale's extremist agenda. Now it was the intel that would help them and Ruth analysis. He stepped back, dragging the younger man to his feet as Harry and Zaf followed.

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A/N more soon. Please review.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer - I do not own Spooks.**

**Hit and Run**

Ruth closed her eyes, knowing the moment she left the car there was a very real chance she could be killed. The rusted chassis of the boot offered no protection from the road below. Part of her knew she had been kidnapped by armatures which only served to depress her more. It was one thing to faced by Mace, Mani or Boscard but unpredictable armatures was another. She swallowed hard as the car hit another bump in the road. It seemed the London Mayor had yet to live up to his promise to sort out potholes on the streets of London. She swallowed hard, trying not to think of the pain yet to come when her skin hit the tarmac, seconds later it did. Ruth landed on the hard tarmac before rolling into the curb, remembering the time she had done the same in Baghdad years earlier.

"Shit." She heard a young man yell as he ran towards her. "She's dead."

"Leave her." Ruth held her breath as she heard another man's voice. "Get back in the car."

"She's dead." Ruth knew that if they realised she was still alive there was a very real chance she wouldn't be for much longer.

"Jamie, get back in the car. Now."

"We should call an ambulance." She heard rather than saw the younger of the two men bundled away and knew it was the last she would see of them. Ruth froze as she felt a hand on her neck, knowing she couldn't hide the fact she still had a carotid pulse.

"It's ok. They've gone. But now I see why I have you and your colleagues in my department on a regular basis. Does Harry know about this?"

"Mike." Ruth opened her eyes in relief. The medic attached to MI 5 was also a consultant in the local A&E, one which knew Section D very well.

"I need to get you to hospital. You may have a spinal injury. You certainly need to get these cuts looked at."

"I'm fine." Ruth smiled as he helped her up. Cars moved around the pair as if nothing had happened. "I need to contact the Grid and I have to get back."

"Ruth."

"It isn't the first time I've jumped out of a moving car." She smiled shyly. "You get to work, I'll call the Grid, get someone to pick me up."

"Not a chance in Hell." Mike shook his head. "I know you are stubborn but I am at least checking you over in med bay. If you wont let me take you to City Hospital at least let me sort out those cuts when we get back to Thames House. I am heading there anyway. I'm on call."

"Ok."Ruth paused. "Can I borrow your phone?"

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Zoe grabbed the phone on the first ring, ignoring Malcolm who just watched.

"Ruth!?" She paused. "Ok, ok. No we don't have any news. Erin is there now, with Alec." She paused. "Just get back here in one piece." She placed the phone back on her desk.

"I take it that was Ruth." Malcolm smiled.

"Yeah, she's with Mike. Long story. Wants Tariq to start a data search on someone called Jamie or possibly James. Mid twenties and male is all she knows."

"Got to love a needle in a haystack." Tariq huffed before turning towards his computer screen, knowing nothing about the person Ruth wanted him to find but knowing it had to be something important. Zoe smiled sympathetically, knowing if anyone could find something on the mysterious Jamie then it was Tariq.

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"You ok?" Adam asked as Harry groaned. It seemed the riot going on around them was not going to end any time soon. Harry clutched his ribs, taking regular steady breaths as he tried to work out how many of his ribs were broken this time.

"Zafar, I am ten years younger than your father." He hissed. Zaf smiled.

"He's fine." Adam rolled his eyes. "Come on, we have to get out of here."

"If we do, the shit is going to hit the fan."

"It is." Harry struggled to his feet. "We haven't stopped this from happening. That was the whole purpose of us being in here. The Home Secretary is going to have a field day."

"What will that mean for us?"

"A few uncomfortable meetings for Ros and myself. I know too much for him to really go for the jugular. It would be in his best interest to stop the hacks getting hold of a 'credible source' as far as he is concerned." Zaf shook his head, knowing his boss probably knew more about the politicians in Westminster than their own families did.

"Come on." Adam helped him to his feet as he tried to work out how to get them off the roof.

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"Adam." Erin nodded towards the roof of the prison. "I am sure that's Adam." Alec followed her gaze and nodded.

"It's him." He turned to the prison govener and the detective stood next to him. "I want those three men removed from the prison in the next five minutes." Alec drew himself up to his full height. "I don't care how. I also want the prison visiting records for the last six months and unlimited access to the prison's CCTV footage."

"I don't see." The rotund mmiddle aged man began to bluster. Erin raised an eyebrow.

"I suggest you do as we ask."

"I." He paused. "Well, that is to say."

"Now. Please." She smiled as her dark eyes bored into his. He nodded once before scurrying away. "Alec."

"Thanks for the back up."

"We need to talk to Ros. If Harry is out of commision she is the one who is going to take charge." Erin stated.

"She already is." Both turned to see their boss behind them. Alec rolled his eyes, knowing why the prison governer had been well aware of her appearance before they had. Suddenly he felt a little put out that the tall, slim blonde seemed more intimidating than he did. "Harry is currently in the back of that prison van with Zaf and Adam. Mike is at Thames House, checking Ruth over."

"You found her."

"She found us." Ros smirked, knowing they had always underestimated the analyst. Ruth was alot stronger than any of them had given her credit for. More than one person had been wrong footed by the woman's apparent short stature and quietly spoken voice but Ros knew different. "Long story. Back to the Grid, now. I want to know what Tessa Phillips nephew is doing attempting to murder members of Section D."

"Probably trying to keep his auntie happy." Erin shrugged. "Who?"

"All we have is a first name, Jamie." Ros narrowed her eyes as the three officers fell into step. "What I want to know is what the Hell he thinks he is playing at."

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A/N More Harry/Ruth and Ros/Lucas next time. Will Nightingale be more dangerous than the team think? Is there more to the riot than meets the eye and what affect with social unrest in the capital have for the team? Will Nightingale win this one? Please review.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer see previous This chapter is a very strong T. May border into M but only ever so slightly. There may be a M rated companion piece if it's wanted.**

**Reunion**

"That was Ros." Malcolm stated as Lucas and Zoe walked back onto the Grid. "She is on the way back with the others. Seems Harry needs to be in hospital but is refusing to go." He frowned, clearly worried about his old friend. Harry hated hospitals, had done since his time in Northern Ireland but if he needed treatment Malcolm saw no sense in refusing it.

"Ruth is with Mike in Med Bay." Lucas answered. "I've just spoken to her. She's going to be fine. Cuts and bruises but she ws very lucky." He paused.

"She was." Zoe frowned. "It just doesn't sit right."

"What doesn't?" Malcolm watched as Zoe ran a hand through her short brown hair.

"Ruth being kidnapped. Harry's cover blown. None of it sits right. Even the riot in the prison, none of it adds up."

"Or it does and we just aren't seeing the right answer." Calum frowned. "Tariq?"

"All the money leads back to Tessa. The only lead I can find on anyone called James or Jamie that may be related to this is her nephew. Jamie Phillips."

"Dig into his history." Lucas frowned. "Ruth was certain she heard the name Jamie and it's the only lead we have that's reliable."

"Ok." Tariq picked up his bottle of Lucozade, knowing both Malcolm and Calum were watching him. He focused on the screen in front of him, knowing if they were ever going to stop Nightingale they had to find out who Jamie Phillips really was and why he was involved in kidnapping Ruth.

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"Two, three times a day. If you need them." Mike stated as he handed Ruth the small bottle of painkillers.

"Will they make me drowsy?" Ruth sighed as she sat on the examination bed in the medical room. Mike raised an eyebrow.

"If I say no would you take them?"

"I need to be alert. Harry is." She paused, wondering how much she could tell the affable doctor. "Away."

"I see."

"So I need to stay alert."

"I understand that." Mike paused. "You have two children to look after as well as working. I know you are not going to even consider resting. But Ruth, you fell from a moving car onto tarmac. You have multiple abrasions to your back and legs. It is only by luck that you are still here."

"I'd rather take my chances with luck than see what they were planning for me." She paused. "I'm ok. Honestly. Battered and bruised, yes but I've been that before and survived."

"I know." He smiled slightly. "You are 42 years old." He paused. "You are not going to be able to keep punishing your body the way you have been."

"Ok." Ruth closed her eyes as he left the room, her blouse folded, neatly despite it's torn state on the table next to her. She shook her head, knowing it would be foolish to try to wear the destroyed garment again. Instead she picked up the denim shirt Zoe had brought up earlier, knowing Dimitri wouldn't mind that his secret stash of clean shirts had been pilfered. Moments later she discarded the faded hospital gown, wincing as she pulled the blur denim shirt on.

"Hey." She paused as she heard a very familiar voice. Smiling to herself she knew it was her overactive imagination working. She wanted Harry with her, so her mind was playing tricks. It was only when she felt his hands on her shoulders that she dared believe he was there.

"Hi." She turned. "Oh God. Oh my God." She looked at his battered face as he smiled.

"Ruth." He opened her shirt slightly, looking at the abrasions and burns from the fall across her chest and neck.

"What did they do to you? I told you. I made you promise."

"I didn't get shot." He smiled at her. "And didn't I tell you to stay out of the field? Didn't I tell you to stay safe?" He blinked as tears filled her eyes. "It's ok." He closed his eyes as she touched his face. "It's ok."

"Now." Ruth whispered as her lips touched his. "Now it's ok." His hands gently held her waist as hers slid around his neck. For a moment it was like time stood still. No Nightingale, no injuries or terrorists trying to rip them apart, just them. Ruth broke the kiss first, breathing deeply as he held her. "How?"

"How am I here?" She nodded.

"Adam and Zaf are good at their jobs." He smiled as she raised an eyebrow. "And someone sold me out. My cover was deliberately blown." He tried to keep the anger our of his voice. Ruth narrowed her eyes.

"Who?"

"Tessa."

"I have to get back to the Grid." Ruth looked up at him, unable to move as his gaze travelled over her skin. She knew the bruises on his face were only the start of the injuries. Harry wasn't a young man anymore but she knew he would risk his life to make sure his team were safe. She just hoped that hadn't happened this time.

"Yes." Harry kissed her forehead. "So do I."

"You have to get checked over. Harry, please don't make me worry even more." Her eyes clouded as he kissed her cheek gently.

"Go on. I'll see the doctor." She nodded, stepping away from him. A moment later she was stood at the door. "Ruth?"

"Yes?" She turned back to him.

"Tell Dimitri his shirt looks better on you." He chuckled as Ruth muttered 'impossible man' under her breath before leaving the room.

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"I've been through CCTV footage for every major UK port." Malcolm stated. "All the airports, ferry terminals, the Channel Tunnel. She did not reënter this country through any of them."

"She's here." Beth stated as she looked at the white board. Ruth nodded once.

"We know that."Ros frowned. "What she wants is more of a concern now. Tessa Philips is a dangerous woman. Harry?"

"My cover was blown because she was at the prison." He paused. Ruth stared at the papers in front of her, worrying him as the shirt she wore seemed to make her squirm slightly in her seat. He could only assume her dressings were rubbing against the shirt she had borrowed.

"But why?" Ruth paused.

"I've made contact with his daughter." Zoe stated. "Tracey Brewster, she's agreed to meet with me."

"Wear a wire." Adam instructed. Zoe rolled her eyes.

"Really? And there was I thinking I would carry a great big microphone on my head to record everything." Harry smirked at the indignant look on Adam's face. Zaf smiled.

"When?" Harry looked at the only original full time member of his team.

"Tomorrow afternoon. The bandstand in the park." Zoe picked up a plastic cup of water. "11am."

"It gives us time to get a team there." Ros conceded. "She could be a useful asset and Zoe is an unknown quantity where they are concerned."

"Back up." Harry stated. "I don't really want anyone else out of action because of these thugs. Remember who Tracey's husband is."

"She also has convictions for violent crime." Ruth turned the page. "Tracey Ann Brewster, aged 30. No children, thank God. Convicted in 1991 for assaulting a shop assistant who caught her shoplifting. Again in 1994 for ABH and then served eight months for racial abuse and violence. She threw a broken bottle in a girl's face after seeing her leave the local Synagogue. Blinded the girl in one eye."

"Nice family." Alec pulled a face. "Anything on Jamie?"

"Oh yes." Ruth narrowed her eyes as she remembered the young man's hands bundling her into the car boot.

"Ruth?" Dimitri asked quietly.

"James Philips, aged 23. Only son of Alice and Patrick Phillips. Has a sister, Lynne aged 30 who no longer speaks to the family. James is known to the majority of people as Jamie and is the nephew of Tessa Philips. No convictions as an adult but has popped up on the radar as a person of interest before."

"How so?" Harry looked at her.

"Member of far right groups, received a caution for his involvement on an assault on a young man in West London two years ago. The man he was charged with assaulting was Muslim, wearing traditional Islāmic clothing at the time. Since then, he's been on Section A's person's to watch list but only flashed up for us when he took me."

"Why didn't he come to our attention before now?"

"Mainly because when Section A first noticed him I was in a coma and Section A don't like sharing at the best of times. I had to borrow this information as it was." Ruth sighed. Calum and Erin exchanged glances. Neither knew anything about Ruth being stabbed on the doorway of Thames House years earlier or the ectopic pregnancy that had almost killed her. Ros fell silent, remembering the time well.

"Ok." Harry paused. "I want that scum brought in. That may just shake the tree enough to get Tessa to fall into our laps."

"And what about Jools?" Lucas asked.

"He'll be hiding under his stone somewhere, waiting to see if any of this will make him money." Harry answered. He stood, effectively concluding the meeting. Ruth sighed heavily before collecting papers as the rest of the team left the room. "Ruth?" Harry spoke softly as she bundled the papers into a file.

"Don't Harry."

"You were ill, it is not your fault none of us have your hacking skills."

"I was too slow." Ruth looked up. "All this could have been avoided if we had known about him two years ago. All this could have been stopped. We might have been able to turn him, find out where Tessa was hiding. Anything but this." He touched her hand.

"Not. Your. Fault." Harry looked her in the eye. "We will stop this. If this idiotic young man hadn't been the way in for Nightingale and Tessa they would have found another way. And so will we."

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A/N Is any of this making sense? It's the one story I really am not sure about. Please let me know what you think. Oh and do I write the companion piece?


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer not mine**

**A Family Affair?**

"Ruth." She looked up as her name was called over the general hub of the Grid. "Have you been going through my files again?"

"No Shaun." Ruth lied easily at the analyst from Section A.

"What the Hell happened to you? You remember this is a desk job?" The friendly Welshman smiled at her. Ruth nodded.

"Car accident. I was not in the field." Ruth looked up at him. "What can I do for you?"

"Make your little hacking."

"I do not hack." Ruth almost hissed.

"Oh come on Ruth. Three years and no one tried to get into my system. Then you come back from some weird black op and suddenly."

"I did not hack your files." Ruth stated. "I had a look. That's all. If you didn't have an allergy to sharing information then I wouldn't have to do it. It's insane. We are on the same side." Ruth held his gaze, aware Calum was watching. "I am up to by eyes in work so if you don't need anything else."

"Ok, ok." Shaun smiled at her. "Just be careful. No one has been able to get into my system, if it wasn't for the pyramid wall I put in then I would never have known anyone had looked."

"Goodbye Shaun." Calum stated as he appeared behind the older man.

"Yeah." Shaun glanced at the techi before walking out of the Grid. Ruth shook her head, clearly angry.

"Sorry, was I out of order?" Calum frowned, aware that Harry had been pacing his office while talking on the phone had missed the whole exchange.

"No." Ruth smiled slightly. "You stopped me saying something I really shouldn't."

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Zoe shoved her hands in her pockets as she looked across the park. She knew Beth and Erin were listening to the meeting with Dimitri in the ops van while Lucas and Adam were somewhere in the park. The bandstand was freezing, the early morning sunshine deceptive as she waited for the younger woman. Parts of Ruth's analysis sprang to mind and she knew it was going to be difficult, if not impossible to turn the woman.

"You waiting for me?" A sharp cockney accent hit her ears before she saw her.

"Tracey?"

"Yeah."

"Georgie said it would be worth meeting you." Zoe stated, aware that the woman with the dirty blonde hair was probably carrying some sort of weapon. "Did he tell you?"

"Yeah." Tracey smirked. "You know Georgie. Full of himself, you sure you want to be involved in all this. Pretty thing like you?"

"My husband was in that prison." Zoe lied. "I want to know what is going on. What your father and husband are up to."

"And why is that?"

"Because my old man tells me about your big plans. About how you are going to change the world. You and your dad. Now my husband is in another nick, miles away. All courtesy of your handiwork with that damn riot." Zoe lied fluently. "I want to know if it is worth it. And if I can help." Zoe listened to Lucas talk quietly in her earpiece. It was obvious he was worried about her pushing the other woman too far. She had been there to get information, now she had practically volunteered to put herself under cover. Zoe glared at the woman in front of her as Tracey smiled.

"Ok, ok. Fair point. Your old man got moved to a nick the other end of the country. No wonder you're pissed off. What's his name?"

"Alan." Zoe lied. Adam swore slightly as Zoe remained poker faced. It was something they hadn't planned. Zoe turned her back and rested on the rail around the bandstand.

"Alan? Ok, well. If you are serious about this then meet me in Cafe Turino tomorrow. 4pm."

"No." Zoe turned back to her. "I am sick of you calling the shots. I don't like you and I don't trust you." Zoe pulled herself up to her full height, making her at least an inch shorter than the woman she was facing, despite the heels she wore.

"Well, can't say I'm going to add you as a friend on Facebook." Tracey sneered as Zoe narrowed her eyes.

"My husband would have been released in a couple of months if he hadn't got involved with your father. Getting him to a point where he'll beat the crap out of someone and end up in a riot has to be worth something. I want to know what."

"You have no idea." Tracey stared at her. "It is too big for a pretty little girl like you to work out." Zoe glanced at her shoes for a moment before stepping forward. Her voice menacingly low.

"Listen to me. I served ten years in prison for a murder I was wrongly convicted of." Adam began warning her to back off as Tracey grabbed her wrist. "You have no idea who you are dealing with. Now all I know is Alan mentioned something about a Jamie and making the world see what was going on around them. Changing this world." Zoe pulled her hand away. "Now why don't you stop the hard man crap and tell me what all this is about."

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"She did what?" Harry marched back on to the Grid at the same time Ros and Lucas reentered.

"Zoe had to gain her trust." Zaf began to defend his fiance. Adam closed his eyes.

"We were almost killed undercover. Zoe may well be on her own. We have no leads on Teflon Tessa or her grubby little nephew. If Zoe goes in undercover and either Tessa or Jools turn up she could be recognised immediately."

"I am here." Zoe tucked her hair behind her ears. Ros couldn't help the wry smile as Beth raised an eyebrow.

"For the moment. May I remind you of what has gone on when you were undercover? Of what has happened to undercover officers in the past? If this goes tits up there is very little any of us could do for you. And why the hell did you tell her you were an ex con?"

"She doesn't know who I am. I gave her a false name and she knows a contact of mine."

"Who may very well be playing both sides." Ros interjected. "You are not doing this alone. When are you meeting her?"

"Rosemount Hill House. 10 am tomorrow. Apparently, if I am to be more involved there are people I need to meet." Zoe stared at Harry as she spoke. "I have been undercover before and I am more aware of the risks than most people. I saw Helen after." She paused as Harry and Malcolm exchanged glances. "I've seen the worst of outcomes."

"You do not go in alone." Harry stated. "I don't care what this woman thinks she is doing but I want her in the Interview Room explaining herself the moment we have proof."

"I'll do it." Erin watched as Zoe looked up.

"Telflon Tessa, as you call her may recognise Zoe but she never met me. I can go with Zoe tomorrow." Harry nodded as Ros frowned slightly, wondering what was going to become of her team. The riot at the prison had been the start of something much bigger but none of them had any idea what.

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"Zo." Zaf followed his fiance into the small kitchenette on the edge of the Grid. "Why?"

"Why am I doing this?" She handed him a carton of milk as she spoke. "Sniff that. Calum was supposed to buy milk."

"That." Zaf wrinkled his nose before emptying the carton down the sink. "Should be classed as a weapon of mass destruction." Zoe smiled.

"Black coffee then."

"Yeah." Zaf nodded. "Be careful. Zo, I never knew Helen but I knew what she was doing when she died. I heard about the way Tom and her were treated. I know what happened to Adam and Jo. To Beth and Ros at that damn school. If anything." He closed his eyes. "If anything should go wrong. If."

"Zaf." She stepped closer to him. "This is me, my job."

"You've been a desk officer more or less since Danny was born."

"And now I am going back into the field." She touched his arm. "I can do my job."

"Yeah." Zaf sighed. "I just don't want to be a single dad. That's all." He stepped back at her as Tariq began yelling across the Grid.

"We better." Zoe nodded towards the door before leaving the kitchenette as Harry left his office to see what the fuss is about.

"Tariq." Harry yelled. "Have you been eating blue smarties again? Malcolm what did I tell you about that boy and e numbers?"

Ruth smirked as Tariq immediately calmed down.

"I've done it."

"What?" Lucas asked as he picked up his leather jacket. Ros raised an eyebrow.

"I've found a location for Tessa."

"Are you sure?" Ros asked. The baby of the team nodded.

"Yeah. Well, she has been there in the last few hours. I just went through every trace of CCTV there is from the time Harry's cover was blown until lunchtime today. Sorry it's taken so long."

"That was three days ago." Alec smirked.

"Good work." Harry smiled as the young boy looked away. "Ros? Shall we?"

"About time I paid an old friend a visit." Ros narrowed her eyes before taking the address from Tariq and following Harry out of the Pods.

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A/N filler chapter. If anyone is reading this please review.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Drive**

Ros stared out of the front windscreen in silence as Harry maneuvered the black 4x4 through the busy London traffic. She was tense, knowing the woman they were about to confront had a history with Section D before she had started there. She had known Harry a lot longer than all of them, apart from Malcolm.

"Ros." Harry spoke calmly. "You know Tessa may well have left. If she has any idea we are looking for her."

"She knows." Ros answered, her clipped words giving away the tension. "Teflon Tessa knows what she is doing. I'm just wondering how she dragged the boy into it and where Jool Silvitir is hiding."

"Any rocks near by, we'll check underneath them." Harry swung the 4x4 into a side street as Ros narrowed her eyes.

"It's just too easy. Tariq finding her location." Ros paused. "It's almost like she wanted to be found."

"This is Tessa Phillips." Harry paused. "She never does anything under the radar. If she is working with Nightingale then she will be in it for the money. And she will want us to know about it." Ros smiled slyly, knowing Harry was right.

"Harry."

"Ros."

"This is not going to go the same way our meeting with Arkardy did. When I thought he had killed Adam."

"No. It is not." Harry paused. "Tessa needs to face a judge for what she has done. Face a jury."

Ros watched him closely. She had known Harry for almost a decade and thought she had known when he was lying. Now, she wasn't so sure. "She deserves that. And Arkardy?"

"I thought you'd ask. One day." He sighed as he parked the car. "You know he was responsible for the capture of Lucas. He worked with Connie to prevent Lucas coming back to the UK. He left Lucas to rot when he believed he was no more use. He thought he could turn him before returning him to MI5." Harry paused. "He wanted Adam dead and a number of other people at that ceremony."

"We aren't executioners." Ros spoke quietly.

"No." Harry agreed. "We are not." He watched her for a moment before deciding he had to say something else. Ros had done a number of questionable things over the years - he knew she had only done them to survive. He also knew Jo's death still haunted her and probably always would. "What I did then was about more than Adam. It was about more than Lucas. There is a history there, going back longer than you can imagine. He was an evil man, manipulative and determined to use his influence on Lucas to destroy more than Section D."

"Not the issue here." Ros snapped Harry back from his memories. "What we do with Teflon Tess is."

Harry smirked at the nickname Calum had come up with for the former MI 5 officer. "Shall we?" Harry smiled slightly as he parked the car a few feet from where Tariq had told them Tessa had been. Ros nodded once before opening the car door.

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Ruth walked across the Grid to where Malcolm was sat talking quietly to Erin and Zoe. Erin looked up as Malcolm repeated her legend once more.

"Ruth." She smiled, relieved that she had a reason not to have to repeat her legend back to Malcolm for what felt like the hundredth time. "What can I do for you?"

"James Phillips."

"What about him?" Beth asked as she joined the group.

"Oxford education, very wealthy father." She paused. "How does he get involved in whatever it is Tessa and Brewster are up to?"

"Good questions." Malcolm sighed, sensing he was never going to get Erin to focus on the papers in front of her. "One I hope Ellie and Zarah can answer."

"Zarah?" Zoe turned to Malcolm. "Really? The same name as the Queen's grand daughter?"

"Yes."

"It suits you." Beth smirked.

"Well, I did some digging and I am not altogether sure that he is an innocent dragged into this." Ruth bit her lip. Beth frowned.

"You think?"

"Tariq followed the money straight to him. Brewster's daughter has been on the outside, cultivating contacts that her father and husband can use now they are out."

"Have the police come up with anything remotely useful on the jail break?" Adam asked as he walked towards the centre of the Grid. Lucas raised an eyebrow.

"Off to see a contact now. You coming?" He glanced at Dimitri who just nodded before following the tattoed spook from the Grid.

"While we wait for news from the police, all we can do is assume they have no idea where any of those who escaped the prison during the riot are."

"Which is why you have to stay away tomorrow." Zoe stared at Adam. "If you are supposed to be Alan there is a very good chance Tracey knows about you. Tessa has already blown Harry's cover. You or Zaf being anywhere near is only going to risk mine and Erin's. We are unknown. You three have all had contact with the man who thinks he is the mastermind behind Nightingale's latest little adventure."

"True." Adam glared. "But you are both going in wired. Belt and braces."

"I have micro cameras, transmitters and trackers prepared." Tariq called as he retrieved a bottle of RedBull from his bag. Ruth pulled a face as she saw him open the sugary energy drink. "What? You drink coffee."

"At least that looks vaguely suitable for human consumption." Ruth smirked as Tariq pretended to be offended.

"Good." Adam answered, but felt even less reassured at the idea of both women going under cover than he had a few minutes earlier. Memories of the beating he had seen Zaf and Harry take came to mind. He hated to think that either of them were putting themselves at risk but he knew there was nothing he could do to stop them. Exchanging glances with Zaf, he could see his best friend felt the same. He could only hope his fears were unfounded.

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Dimitri sat on the park bench as he watched pensioners play bowls. None of the elderly men and women paid him or Lucas any attention, instead focusing intently on the game at hand.

"You think we will ever play bowls?" Dimitri asked quietly.

"You think we are all going to live that long? Can you see Ros playing that game?"

"I can't even see Ros as a pensioner." Dimitri shrugged his shoulders as a brown haired woman in her mid sixties walked towards them. The hair was clearly dyed but the gaze was as focused and determined as any woman half her age had.

"John."

"Hello Eva." He turned to face the woman with the slightly Russian tinge to her accent. Eva nodded.

"Your friend?"

"He works with me. Dimitri."

"Ah, where are you from?"

"Originally?" Dimitri smiled, knowing this had to be the hundredth time he had been asked the same question. "South London. My parents are Greek Cypriot and my paternal grandfather was Russian which is how I got the name. But that isn't why we are here."

"You, my boy are a mongrol. John, where did you find him?"

"Would you believe me if I said a boat in the Carrabean?" Eva shook her head.

"Why are you here?"

"You have information." Lucas sat the other side of her as she nodded.

"I do. Nightingale are ready. More so than ever before. You remember that big hotel bomb a few years ago?"

"Never going to forget it. "Lucas' voice dropped. Eva nodded.

"Terrible business." She paused. "But that was just to test the waters. A trial run."

"They almost killed the Home Secretary of the time."

"Andrew Lawrence." Eva nodded. "Dipstick of a man. Anyway, they have more money. More kudos and from what I am hearing more man power. The riot at the prison was a means to an end. You have to track down Brewster. You do that and you may just stop this." She pulled a bag of boiled sweets from her bag, left them next to her and stood. Dimitri watched as she walked away, leaving the sweets behind.

"What was that all about?"

"Nightingale." Lucas ground the words out though gritted teeth.

"I mean the sweets."

"Dim, they aren't sweets." Lucas glanced at the paper bag realising she had left them more information than they could have hoped for.

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Ros pushed the door to the run down flat open as Harry hung back. It was clear that no one had spent any time or money on the place for years. The shelves to his left had a layer of dust almost an inch thick while the windows barely let enough light in to see where they were headed. The sunlight was barely able to penitrate the grime.

"Ros." He spoke calmly as he pushed the door to what he thought was the bedroom open. "Tessa isn't here."

"Guessed that." Ros tucked her gun back into her jeans as she joined him in the doorway of the bedroom. "Shit."

"Yeah." Harry stated as he saw the figure of the blonde woman in front of him, hanging like a puppet from the ceiling. "I don't think Zoe and Erin are going to meet Tracey tomorrow either." Ros nodded once before stepping towards the corpse. Carefully she checked for a pulse before retrieving the note that was stuck in Tracey's jacket pocket.

"The bloody nerve."

"What does it say?" Harry asked, already dialling the number needed to get a clean up team at the scene.

"Boy Wonder got it wrong, this time. See you soon Harry x" Ros read aloud. "She knew we were coming." Ros handed the paper to him. "She knew."

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A/N More soon x please review.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Only one review for the last chapter. Are people still reading Spooks fics or is this one just a bit rubbish? **

**Clear up Squad?**

Harry stepped back as the body was cut down. It was clear that Tracey Brewer was not going to be troubling them anymore. He grabbed his phone as Ros placed latex gloves on her hands before checking the body.

"Why would Tessa do this? Surely keeping the daughter onside would benefit her?" Ros stepped back. Harry nodded.

"Tessa is not exactly known for her patience. She never was. If this girl." Harry glanced at her, disturbed that the woman was only roughly the same age as Graham. His stomach turned, wondering how anyone could drag their child into the murky world Brewer had dragged his only child into. "If this girl got in her way or was of no more use to her then I don't doubt she would be behind this."

"Tessa? Doing her own dirty work?" Ros knelt down, looking under the bed where Tracey's body now lay while the clean up team worked around them. Carefully she retrieved the small smart phone from under the bed.

"Ros?"

"Password protected." Ros glared at the small phone, knowing that she would have to wait until Tariq or Malcolm could break the code and access the contents. Part of her believed it would be full of photos, a facebook page and maybe a few answerphone message. Another part believed Tracey had hidden the phone for a reason.

"Come on." Harry looked around as the clean up team worked around them. Ros nodded once before heading out of the apartment with him.

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The assorted officers sat around the Briefing Room table in silence. Zaf glared at the polished wood, aware that there was nothing he could say or do to stop Zoe going undercover. Her assertions that it was her cover that stayed intact at the prison did little to appease the uneasy feeling in his stomach. Ruth glanced across the table as Erin entered the room.

"Tracey Brewer is dead." Harry stated calmly.

"We still have to go in." Erin stated. "If Tracey was murdered."

"There were ligature marks on her wrists." Ros stated. "She was killed."

"Then we still have to go in."

"She was murdered." Adam began as the rest of the room fell silent. "Because she was known to have visited the bandstand this morning. Maybe it wasn't just us watching her. Maybe Tessa and her friends in Nightingale thought she was going to be turned."

"And if I don't turn up tomorrow I confirm that their suspicians." Zoe tucked a strand of mousy hair behind one ear.

"This is getting ridiculous." Harry folded his hands in front of him. "Lucas, your contact is determined Nightingale have staged it all, Brewer insighted a race riot at the prison." He sighed. "Now Tracey Brewer is dead."

"It doesn't seem that she was killed the same way Nightingale used in the past." Beth looked up. "I wasn't around for the original case but didn't their CIA mole end up with a bullet in her head?"

"Sarah Caulfield." Lucas muttered as Ros narrowed her eyes. She took a deep breath before turning back to her team.

"She was killed the same day as the hotel bomb." Ros' voice was dispassionate. "I thought I told you all to get up to speed on Nightingale. You wont always have me and Ruth to fill in the details." Harry glanced at his Section Cheif, aware the memories the mention of Sarah Caulfield evoked were not pleasant for anyone. "Sarah Caulfied was killed, execution style. A professional hit in her hospital bed. Tracey Brewer's death was staged to look like suicide."

"Different assassins." Calum shrugged his shoulders.

"Really?" Ros rolled her eyes. "Nightigale wanted us to know they killed Caulfield. They wanted Brewer to look like she had developed some psychosis and ended it all."

"Why?" Ruth bit her bottom lip. "Why now? And why would Dominic Brewer sanction it?"

"That's what I intend to find out." Harry got to his feet, effectively ending the meeting. Adam and Lucas exchanged glances. Neither of them were entirely happy with the way the operation was going. London was still in the grip of riots with tension at an all time high. While not on the scale of previous riots a few years earlier it was clear they were being orchestrated by the likes of Brewer, and probably with the backing of Nightingale.

"Harry."

"Go on." Harry stared at Lucas.

"Eva is convinced that everything that happened before this dates back to the hotel bomb." Lucas paused. "That the bombing was only a trial run."

"Bloody effective trial run." Ros narrowed her eyes. She glanced at the scar on her arm, the only visible reminder of being trapped under burning masionary for hours. Lucas watched as she seemed to collect herself, every instinct telling him to get her away from anything related to Nightingale but he knew there was no way she would back down. If her team were in dager then Ros was going to be the one to put herself on the line.

"Ok." Harry paused. "We take this information as reliable until proven otherwise. Since she defected Eva has always given us reliable information. Tariq? Anything you can add to the discussion?"

"Tracey's phone was easy enough to break into. The password was her birthday. People seriously still do that?" He shook his head as Ruth smiled slightly at his complete horror at the idea. "It's the stuff behind the firewall she put up that is difficult to get into."

"I'm putting it through counter encryption." Malcolm stated. "We will have an idea what the contents are by the end of the day. I really must get back to it." He nodded before leaving the room, quickly followed by the other technical officers. Moments later the Briefing Room cleared, leaving Ruth and Harry the only people remaining.

"Harry I don't like this." Ruth got to her feet as he watched her. For a moment he was silent.

"Neither do I."

"Zoe and Erin are walking into a trap." Ruth continued. "We all know it."

"Tessa knows Zoe." Harry paused. "It's highly likely she will have informed whoever it was who killed that vile woman that we are sending in someone undercover. Whatever Tessa is planning she is heavily involved in Nightingale. But it has to be a recent thing, we'd have picked her involvement up earlier." Ruth looked away for a moment. "Ruth?"

"This is going to end badly, Harry. I can feel it."

"Ruth." He crossed the room to her, resting a hand on her arm.

"They know where we are, what we are doing before we do it. That woman was murdered before you got there, literally moments before. They knew you were coming. I've been abducted. You were almost killed. Zaf's cheek is still fractured." She stopped as he touched her face.

"You think we have a mole?"

"No Harry." She held his gaze. "I think we are being watched."

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A/N More soon if anyone wants me to go on. PLease review


	12. Chapter 12

**See previous**

**Watching the Watchers?**

"Watched." Harry almost whispered. He was terrified at the idea that someone had infiltrated the Grid, remembering the effect Connie's betrayal had. That somehow Cyberterrorists had wormed their way into the building. "How?"

"It's the only explanation I can think of." Ruth paused. Harry nodded. "I think I have proof."

"Go on."

"I had a little look in Section A's files a week or so ago. I got caught. I never get caught."

"Ruth?" Harry paused.

"I know. I was only looking for information they should have shared with us anyway." Ruth kept her voice low. "But I covered my tracks. Then I'm told that I've been caught, that next time I'm to ask. Calum was there." She paused.

"I see."

"It was embarrassing, Harry."

He smiled at her, knowing it was more professional pride that had been dented. Ruth liked to think no one would discover her little fishing trips in cyberspace but it was always possible she could be.

"And?"

"And what if my little fishing trip opened a cyber doorway? What if I literally let them in?"

"Ok, you are talking in a language only Malcolm and Tariq ever have a hope of understanding." He smiled as she closed her eyes. "I know I'm a Luddite."

"Every computer in the world has an IP address. An individual code that can be traced back to it. No one has been able to find mine. Yet."

"Until now." Harry frowned.

"What if I opened the door to a virus? Something that could look around in our files. See our alias' our legends? What if that was how they found out about Zoe meeting Tracey?"

"Talk to Malcolm. See if it is possible." Harry paused. "Until we know otherwise we shut down all electronic means of communication."

"Back to basics?" Ruth frowned.

"It worked in the past."

"We didn't have cybercrime in the 90s. Not to the extent we do now, Harry it's impractical."

"Yes." He paused. "But until I've spoken to Malcolm it's the safest way." He sighed as Ruth looked away. He tugged on her hand, pulling her towards him. She sighed as he wrapped his arms around her. "Not your fault. We will stop it. May even be able to turn it to our advantage." He kissed her hair, hoping his wife would stop blaming herself. He knew there was no way she would have left enough traces to be used by cyberterrorist. He also knew Nightingale had the means financially to do as they wanted.

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"Of course." Malcolm frowned as Harry stared at him over the desk. "How anyone could get through the Grid defenses I don't know."

"It shouldn't be possible." Calum stated. "It's state of the art."

"Yes." Harry nodded. "It shouldn't be. I know that, unfortunately so are Nightingale. I know we've updated since Tessa left us but she may still have a way to get through."

"If she does. She wont much longer." Malcolm huffed before walking back to the main Grid. Tariq shrugged his shoulders before turning to follow Malcolm back out onto the Grid. Harry ran a hand over his face as Calum watched him.

"You know something else?"

"Sit down Calum." Harry paused. "Brewer knew. Knows."

"Eh?" Calum stared at him.

"About Catherine and Charlie. He knew about the others aswell but he mentioned them by name. I need to know my daughter and grandson are safe." Calum visibly paled as he watched his future father in law. Catherine was his world. Her and Charlie were his family and with a new baby on the way he had never been happier.

"I'd die before I'd let anything happen to either of them. I know Charlie isn't mine." Harry watched, knowing the younger man adored the four year old. It had never seemed to matter to him that Catherine came as a package. He had to admire the younger man for that, knowing at the same age he may have found it difficult. "But it doesn't matter. I feel like I'm his dad. Surely that's enough?"

"It is for me." Harry smiled slightly. "Just look after them. These thug have come after Ruth already. I doubt their morals stop them attacking a pregnant woman and her son."

"I will." Calum got to his feet, silently deciding he would call Catherine, just to be sure she was ok. Harry nodded as Calum left the office. Brewer's words still in the back of his mind.

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"Oh come on Natasha." Adam followed the coffee shop manager into the back of the small shop.

"No." She snapped as she tied her apron. "I am not getting involved. Lee hasn't been in touch. I did what I could, I am not getting myself killed."

"I am not asking you to get yourself killed. I just don't want Zoe and Erin walking in there withough back up now she's dead."

"Who's dead?"

"Tracey Brewer." Adam stared at her. "Someone murdered her and faked her suicide."

"I am going no where near this. I run the coffee shop that almost got blown up when I first ran into you."

"Yeah." Adam continued to follow her around the room. "I know. You helped me save Zaf's life then too. As well as countless others."

"You are not going to give up are you?"

"No." Adam smiled. "No, I'm not."

"Ok, ok but if I get killed I'm coming back to haunt you." She watched as Adam rolled his eyes.

"Ok, 8am tomorrow. Thank you."

"Yeah, well you owe me one." She threw a tea towel at him wondering exactly what she had agreed to this time.

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Zoe slicked her short hair back behind her ears. She felt sick with nerves wondering if she could do undercover work anymore. It had been a while since she had gone to Newcastle with Adam and Zaf, even longer since she had been in the North Sea with Danny. Sighing heavily she knew she had to keep to the legend Malcolm had created. It wasn't just her safety that was at risk. Erin was depending on her.

"Zoe." Ros walked into the women's toilets to see her junior officer staring into the mirror. "Erin is on the Grid."

"Ok."

"You are able to do this." Ros stated rather than asked. "You were the one that created the in with Tracey. Now she's dead."

"Yeah." Zoe stated. "I know."

"So?"

"Someone was watching us. They knew she was meeting me. Now she's dead there is a fair chance they know who I am."

"Right. Natasha will be there. That may help."You will have back up."

"I know." Zoe turned to face her. "I always used to get like this before going undercover. It's fine." She pushed back from the sink before turning to face the Section Chief. "How do you do it?"

"What?" Ros stared at her, completely deadpan.

"This. You are married with two kids. Same as me, only me and Zaf aren't married." Ros continued to stare at her. "How do you do it? Turn off and go undercover? Tom used to say you put your real self in a box. Put it back on when you get home."

"I do what I have to."

"I'm not like you." Zoe sighed. "I really am not like you.." She walked out of the bathroom as Ros glared.

"No, Zoe you really are nothing like me." She glared before walking out of the room.

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"Anything?" Beth asked as she walked towards Ruth and Lucas. Ruth bit her lip as she shook her head.

"Adam is brining Natasha back in." He stated. "You and Dimitri ready?"

"The ops van is ready to go." Beth sat in Adam's vacant chair. "I'll be there listening in with Alec. As planned. Erin is used to going undercover. It's Zoe I'm worried about. It's not like she's been in the field much."

"She is a case officer, the same as you." Lucas stated. "You know that."

"Yeah." Beth nodded. "Yeah but she's out of practice. Ruth has been in the field more than Zoe has."

"And look how well that turned out." Ros stated as she joined them. "And as we are being watched we have to go about this the old fashioned way. We have to assume they are listening to everything. Malcolm and the others are going through everything but we can't rely on technology as much as we have. It's too dangerous."

"Back to basics." Lucas stated. He could see Ros was nervous, although he knew Beth, Dimitri and the others would never pick up on it he knew Ruth would. She was one of the few people who knew Ros well enough to pick up on the signals.

"Yes." Ros nodded. "For now." She looked up as Harry left his office. Ruth closed her eyes, knowing he would have taken her fears seriously. He marched towards the small group as Ruth looked up.

"Ros. The Home Secretary want to see us."

"Now." Ros glared. "We're in the middle of an active op."

"I am aware of that." Harry held her gaze. "But it seems Nightingale have been in touch with him."

"Tessa?" Ruth narrowed her eyes. "Has she?"

"I have no idea. Towers thinks his position has been compromised."

"Right." Ros grabbed her black leather jacket. "Lets see if he is being paranoid or can actually make himself useful." She nodded as Harry led her out of the Grid, knowing that Lucas and Ruth were watching, more worried than ever.

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A/N Filler chapter. Is Towers to be trusted? Is Zoe right to be worried and can Calum protect his fiance? More soon. Please review.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Very quick update on iPhone. Please review.**

**Betrayal**

Ros glanced at Harry as they left the black 4x4. She knew Harry didn't trust Towers, it was a given after everything with Blake that politicians were to be viewed with suspicion but something was wrong. This was more than the usual disdain Harry held for Towers. He had disliked the man ever since it had been made known that the older politician had a 'thing' for Ruth. Ros smiled slightly at the thought of it.

"Ros." He spoke calmly. "Are you wearing a wire?"

"No. Should I be?"

"I don't know." Harry answered honestly. He handed her a small sweet wrapper. She undid it to see one of Tariq's trackers where the toffee should be. She twitched her lip into a half smile before heading towards Towers' office. She distrusted the grey haired man as much as he did.

Xxxxxxxx

"Ready?" Erin smiled as she drove towards the small pub where Zoe had arranged to meet Tracey. The rain battered the small pool car as Erin internally regretted taking the aging Clio when there were a dozen other more powerful cars available. The Renault seemed to fit the legends Malcolm had painstakingly put together for them.

"The meet is tomorrow. I'll be ready."

"Nothing wrong in doing a reckie." Erin tucked her long black hair behind her ear. The plane lens glasses Calum had given her weighed heavily on her face but they were part of her cover. She hated them, along with the oversized jumper and battered jeans. As she parked the car she shook her head, knowing with Tracey's murder the whole op was compromised.

"True." Zoe closed the door of the aging Renault Clio, stepping out into the rain. "I just hope it works." Erin nodded before heading towards the run down pub.

Xxxx

"Lucas." Ruth turned to face him, wincing slightly as Tariq returned to the Grid. "Something is wrong."

She couldn't put her finger on it but she knew Harry was in trouble. Every sense in her being told her something had happened. Something had gone wrong.

"What?" Lucas was immediately on alert. Tariq glanced at Calum - aware his friend was talking to his fiancé on the phone. Calum spoke in hushed tones to Catherine, hoping the rest of the Grid weren't able to hear what was being said.

"Ros just activated her tracker. She's in Whitehall. Why activate it there?" Ruth frowned slightly. "It's getting Ruth to wear one is difficult at the best of times."

"I have no idea." Lucas turned. "Zaf?"

"Yeah."

"Can you get hold of Harry's contact in the home office? Sally?"

"Sally Downes." Ruth glanced at Lucas as Alec grabbed his coat. "Sophie was moved to the Foreign Office after Christmas."

"Keep trying to contact Ros and Harry." Lucas squeezed her shoulders. "I'm going to speak to Sally. See if I can charm my way in to see what's happened."

"Ros will go mad."

"Only if we are being paranoid."

"And you know what they say?" Zaf called as he picked up his car keys. "Just because you're paranoid."

"Doesn't mean they are not out to get you. Alec?" Lucas finished before following his friends from the Grid.

"I have a contact." He paused. "Used to work for Blake, it may be a lead or it maybe nothing but we know Nightingale has been active in Chicago and New York maybe she can help? Maybe she can lead us to whoever Tessa is working with in the UK Government." Ruth nodded, hoping Alec's contact wouldn't name the person Harry and Ros had gone to see.

Zzzz

Ros glanced at Harry as Towers got to his feet. The Home Secretary reached out to shake Harry's hand. Ros narrowed her eyes, able to see the nerves in the older man. William Towers was a useless liar, in that moment Ros couldn't help but wonder how he had ever become a politician. She kept her eyes on him rather than looking around the ornate office they were stood in. The whole atmosphere in the room was wrong. Something was off. She knew Harry had felt it but in that moment she had no idea what it was.

"Thank you both for coming." Towers stepped back, indicating for them both to sit down. Neither moved.

"What can we do for you?" Harry froze as the familiar sound of a safety catch being removed from a gun. Ros glared at Towers, she knew exactly who was behind them. The disgust in her gut twisted as she saw the older man squirm. In that moment he knew it wasn't the woman behind them he should be afraid of.

"I am so sorry. They threatened my son, Harry. I."

"That's enough." A distinctly female voice cut through the air. "Anyway, I don't like the word threat. I prefer an unrefusable offer."

"Tessa." Harry spoke calmly, the anger burning through him. Ros turned slightly to face the older woman a snarl curled on her lips as her fingers slipped into her pocket where the tracker was hidden.

"Hello Harry." It was the last words he heard before the world turned black.

Xxxxxx

A/n more soon.


	14. Chapter 14

**disclaimer - not mine**

A Reason to go on?

His vision blurred as he tried to work out what was happening. Ros was nowhere to be seen, leaving him to hope and pray she had escaped. Sighing heavily he knew Ros. She would never leave a colleague to die. It was how she had ended up stuck in the Thames with Adam and later in a burning hotel with Andrew Lawrence.

Five hours earlier

"Ros." He turned to her as the younger woman glared. "If Tessa is working for nightingale then we are probably going to be sold on."

"Yeah." Ros kept her voice low. "And we know she is. There is a definite connection to Brewer, you know that. It's the reason you are covered in bruises."

"You get the chance, just go. I've known Tessa a lot longer. I can get inside her head."

"And explain to me how I look Ruth in the eye again if you get killed. Stop being so bloody noble. I've had enough of it with Adam Carter over the years." Ros deadpan bed as Harry smirked.

"So you're telling you're scared of Ruth?" Harry smirked. Ros stared at him.

"I've heard what she can do with a tree branch." Harry couldn't help but smile as he heard Ros' words. As long as she could keep up the Ice Queen facade he knew there was a chance they'd be ok.

Xxxxxxxx

Now

"I need to speak to the Home Secretary." Ruth tried again - only for his latest PA to attempt to fob her off. Glaring at her state of the art computer she couldn't help but realise older spooks, those that had lived in a world before internet and email were so much more skilled than they were.

"I understand he is very busy." Ruth sighed. "I know what he does for a living. Can I take your name please?" Malcolm raised an eyebrow at her Sharp tone. "And your manager would be?" Suddenly the woman on the other end of the line became much more helpful. Ruth ended the call before burying her head in her hands.

"What's wrong ?" Tariq asked innocently.

"Margot tells me the Home Secretary is currently in a meeting with the head of domestic terrorism at MI 5 and is not to be disturbed."

"Frustrating woman." Malcolm sympathised. "But did she say anything else?"

"No." Ruth sighed

"Alec and Lucas will find something. Adam and the girls will be at the meet by now." Tariq shrugged. "I feel so useless without my gadgets."

"Indeed." Malcolm paused as Ruth got to her feet and headed out of the Grid.

Xxxx

"Adam Carter." Natasha snapped "I hate you. You know that?"

"Yeah." Adam laughed.

"Good, just as long as you do."

Natasha smiled back as Zoe rolled her eyes. Adam nodded to the CCTV camera on the roof of The Queens Arms.

"You're on candid camera"

'No we 're not." Zoe snapped. "Not since the techno lock down."

"That only applied to the Grid. If that camera is controlled by the Met we can send Beth over to chat up the guys in the control room." Erin smirked. "At least if we are murdered there will be a time for when we enter and leave the pub."

"Oh you're a proper little ray of sunshine. Bloody 'ell!" Natasha snapped before jumping out the car and heading towards the pub doorway. Zoe and Erin exchanged glances, knowing it was now or never.

Xxxxxx

Harry swallowed hard , trying not to feel nauseated at the taste of his own blood. He knew Ruth and Mike had been right - there was only so much a man of his age could take. He had to accept he wasn't the same age as Adam or Alec anymore . He was a grandfather - ad he wanted to see his grandchildren grow up. Screwing his eyes shut he pictured Gracie-Jo pulling herself along the sofa, getting used to the feel of her feet on the floor. He knew then if he died his youngest child would never remember him. That he could never allow.

"Ros? Rosalind?" He turned slowly to see his Section Chief laying a few feet away on her side. Her back faced him , the leather jacket gone only the white shirt remained. The streaks of blood the only indication Harry would have to be the one to get them home and stop Nightingale once and for all.

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a/n please reviewx


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer I do not own Spooks. Also thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed so far. I'm not getting many reviews for this so I am assuming its not great but I have to finish it before I write anything else for Spooks. I may finish the series with this story. Although that said I have an idea for a story surrounding a Summer Ball - if I'm being forced to go to these things (unless I can get out of it!) these guys can too!**

**Escape**

Harry got to his feet, trying to ignore the blood in his mouth and the bruise around his ribs. Every breath felt like he was being stabbed in the chest, but that wasn't important. Nothing mattered in that moment apart from getting to Ros. He silently begged a God he believed had given up on him years ago that his friend would be ok.

"Ros?"

"Urgh." Ros mumbled as he rolled her gently onto her back, shaking her shoulder. He smiled slightly as her eyes opened and glared at him.

"What happened?"

"Tessa." She tried to push herself up on her elbows and winced. "Hit you with the gun."

"Guessed that." Harry touched his hair line gingerly. "I'll live. It's you I'm worried about."

"Don't." Ros gasped as she realised her back was a mass of wounds, with her shirt caked in dried blood. "I'm fine. I am always fine."

"Ros."

"No, wasting energy." Ros glared. "Tessa and her little nephew are going to pay for this." She watched as Harry nodded and smiled. Ros was still Ros. They still had a chance.

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Lucas swung the car into the staff car park behind Whitehall, knowing William Towers would not be expecting a visit. He could barely contain his anger. Tessa Philips had caused his family and friends more trouble than she was worth.

"Keep your head." Alec stated. "We will find Harry and Ros. You know that."

"Towers is involved in this. I know he is."

"Yes, I reckon so." Alec agreed. "But if he is either the monkey or the organ grinder it doesn't matter. We have to get him to talk to us. You going in there looking like you want to throttle him won't help." Lucas nodded. "And you doing the worried husband routine is not going to help Ros either."

He opened the car door, walking away before Lucas could answer.

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The bar was empty when Natasha walked in. The wooden bar stools lined up ready for the next set of customers. Glancing at her watch she headed over to the bar.

"Three bags of crisps. Cheese and onion. One diet coke, one orange juice and a lemonade please." She fished a £20 note out of her purse.

"Ok, Luv." The barman yawned as he nodded to where Erin and Zoe were sat down. "Your friends waiting for you. I'll bring these over."

"Thanks." Natasha smiled. "Look, I'm waiting for someone. If she comes in, can you tell her where we are?"

"Who you waiting for?" The barman yawned.

"Tracey." She smiled. "Blonde hair, my height?"

"Aye, if I see her."

"Thanks." Natasha walked towards the other women, hoping the barman hadn't heard her pulse which she was sure was beating out of her chest. "Right." She sat down. "What time are you meeting her?"

"Supposed to be now." Zoe looked around the dishevelled pub. "We know she wont be here."

"Yeah." Natasha bit her lip. "But my idiot brother might just turn up."

"It'll be fine." Erin stated calmly, her long dark hair falling over her face. Her t-shirt and denim skirt making her look a million miles away from the professional spook.

"Here we go."

She paused as the bar door opened. Zoe cursed, hoping Adam had seen the man enter and was prepared to get back up if needed.

"This is not good." Erin stated as she watched the heavily tattooed man approach the bar while a scrawny man with a tattoed forhead walked towards them.

"No, this bloody isn't." Natasha got to her feet. "You two keep quiet, or we'll all end up in A&E. I know our Lee. I can deal with him."

"Sis!"

"Oi, keep that quiet." Natasha glared. "'ave you been 'ome? No. Ave you been in touch since you got out of prison? Of course not. I'm only your bloody sister. Why would you want to tell me you aren't dead in a ditch?"

"Calm down."

"No I will not." Natasha grabbed his arm before pulling him to the side of the pub, pointing at his Swastika tattoo and generally giving him a hard time. "And what the Hell are you doung 'ere? Eh?"

"Dom said."

"The filth are gonna sv you. I dun believe even you are as thick as you pretend to be! Mum drop you on your head did she? Dominic doesn't give a shit about you. Tracey does. You should be with her, poor cow not in here waiting for the amazing Dominic Brewer!"

"You dunno what you are talking about."

"Well then idiot brother. Explain."

xxxx

Ruth stared at the "Eyes Only" file on the table in front of her - desperately wishing she could access her computer. Everything took so much longer but she knew Calum and Malcolm were doing their best to get them back online. Biting her lip she opened the red file.

"Oh no." She blinked as a grainy black and white photo slipped out the file. "No. Not this. Anything but this." She glared at the photo knowing that if they didn't find Harry and Ros soon there was a high chance they never would.

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a/n please let me know what you think.


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